Together We Are Family
by Darien Fawkes
Summary: Aiden has returned after a decade in hiding, and Brody is delighted to have his brother back. But with questions hanging over where he's been and how he survived, the question is, is Aiden all he appears?
1. Chapter 1

**Legal:** I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, places, events, characters etc. Anything that is not covered by the above rights should be considered purely the creation of the author.

 **Rating:** T – May be some mild adult themes including violence and language.

Monday rolled around, and the Rangers were returning to school. Sarah was just packing her bag when she heard the doorbell.

"Who could be calling this early?" Ellie asked. Sarah just shrugged her shoulders. Ellie, who was checking out job listings online just glared at her daughter. Sarah didn't take long to realise it was a rhetorical question. Sarah went to the door to check who was there. She found Preston standing outside.

"Preston?" She asked, a little curious to see her best friend standing on her doorstep so early. While they were close and he had stopped by occasionally, it wasn't as though he wasn't patient enough to wait until she got to school to speak to her.

"Hey Sarah." Preston said, shifting a little nervously. "Um...I was just wondering if you'd like to walk to school together."

"You want to walk to school?" Sarah asked him. Preston just nodded. She had a feeling there was more to it than that. A lot had happened over that weekend. Her dad was still in the hospital, and while he was stable, the doctors were still more than a little vague about when he would be ready to leave. Sarah wasn't really keen on going to school at all that day, she wanted to stay in case there was something she could do to help the family or more importantly in case there was any change in her dad's condition, but there were other things going on that she knew she needed to concentrate on, and she had a feeling that was the real reason for Preston's early visit.

Aiden, Brody's brother, long thought missing, probably dead, had returned to Summer Cove. It was a development all of them had hoped for, especially Brody, though with it there were also a lot of questions. Where had he been? What had he been doing for ten years? Why did he only return now? The biggest question of all though was, could he be trusted?

Sarah had a little bit of experience with miraculous returns, or more accurately, her friends had. She had briefly served in a supporting role with the Amber Beach team, and some of them had some pretty wild tales that quickly led her to realise that the word 'miracle' had a whole different meaning in their world. Among her close friends were Koda, a man who had literally been frozen in ice for over 100,000 years, Ivan, a man who had spent 800 years trapped inside the villainous Fury, and lastly, but probably most applicable to this situation, James, who had returned after being missing presumed dead for ten years, just like Aiden.

In James' case, he had been lost on an archaeological dig during a cave-in. His team could never find their way back to the island, and so they had presumed he had to have perished. It had transpired that in that cave-in, he had found the Aqua Energem, which had given him the power that he needed not only to survive the cave-in, but also to return to the mainland. His story was unlikely, but it did bear the most resemblance to Aiden's, and so it did in Sarah's mind lead her to think that it was POSSIBLE he had survived in hiding all that time.

Of course that still left a lot of questions. James was an adult when he went missing; he had a lot more means at his disposal. Also, James had bonded to the Aqua Energem, which meant not only did he have the strength and power that went with being a Ranger; he also hadn't aged since he bonded to it. To this day, he and Tyler looked a lot more like brothers than father and son.

Since from what little she knew Aiden appeared to be an adult now, and none of what Preston told her indicated he had any powers to speak of, which did cast a few more doubts over his story of survival. Then again, he was trained in survival techniques by a man that was said to be one of the greatest ninjas that had ever lived. None of them wanted this to be fake. For Brody's sake, all of them wanted more than anything for Aiden to have really returned to them. Of course caution was also always advisable, and their enemies were always deceitful and cunning. Kendall still had to weather the occasional joke over the fact she had unknowingly not only hired her Big Bad to work in the museum, but had briefly dated him!

"The uh...guys were going to meet up before class." He told her. "We had that thing to uh..."

"Right, that thing!" Sarah answered. "Mom, Preston and I are just going to school now."

"I'll see you later!" Ellie called out as Sarah picked up her belongings and headed out of the door. She returned to her job search, looking at the options.

Levi was just arriving in the parking lot, and was just about to open the trunk of his car when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around, preparing to defend himself, only to hear a shriek and see someone falling away from him. He looked to the ground and realised that it was Mrs Finch.

"Mrs Finch! Oh God, I'm so sorry!" He exclaimed as he closed and locked the boot, which was carrying a large amount of his training gear, including his new uniform, things that would be kind of hard for a music teacher to explain owning. He offered her a hand, helping her up. "You just startled me, I never meant..."

"It's my fault I guess." She replied, using his hand to pull herself up and straightening herself out. "I suppose that's what I get for being spontaneous. I was just surprised to find someone else here so early."

"Yeah, I was always an early riser back home." Levi answered, looking to her with a smile. "I figured I could spend the next couple of hours watching trashy morning television or come in and get some work done."

"That definitely sounds familiar." Mrs Finch agreed. "So, you're settling in alright?"

"It was a struggle at first, but I think I've started to get used to things." He told her. He noticed Mick poking his head out of the gate to the yard, looking around for him. "If you'll excuse me, I have a few things to discuss with Mr Kanik before school starts."

"Oh, alright then." Mrs Finch answered. "Well, I guess I'll see you around the teachers' lounge."

"You most certainly will." Levi answered. "I believe I still owe you for that fantastic carbonara."

"I'll look forward to that." She replied as he headed towards the yard outside the Shop Class. As Levi approached, Mick saw him coming and ushered him inside.

Up on the Warrior Dome, inside Cosmo's office, Madame Odious was watching events unfolding on Earth on a viewing device, and she watched with interest as the Rangers started to slowly but surely arrive, no doubt to plan what their next move was. Odious found it amusing to think that mere humans, creatures that had nothing like the mental capacity of her species could possibly think they could keep ahead of the likes of her. Among her kind, even the children quickly advanced in intellect to the levels many scholars of other species only aspired to. For humans, a species that was still comparatively speaking at an early stage of their kind's evolution to think that any plot they could come up with could match her intellect was as laughable as a worm thinking it could outwit a human.

She put her viewing device away as she heard the door to his office opened and Cosmo entered. He was still smarting after the ratings dip that Ripcon had cost him. He had spent most of his time trying to think of how to ensure that next week's broadcast would at least be back to respectable figures, and right now he was willing to try just about anything that was ready to go while he planned the long-term recovery. He came into the office, taking a seat.

"Odious, I believe you had a talent you wished to pitch to me." He began in an off-hand way. Odious just started laughing.

"I have so much more to offer than any mere talent. I offer you what you always love, a story, a tale. A tale of drama, a tale of suspense, and a tale of sacrifice."

"That sounds interesting." Cosmo answered. "So, what do you propose?"

Odious just clicked her fingers, at which the door opened and her newest talent acquisition entered. It was a strange looking creature that looked like...well...it looked like a teapot, with the rest of its body appearing to be made out of steam. Madame Odious gestured to the creature.

"Allow me to introduce Toxitea." She stated. Cosmo just sighed and shook his head.

"Your poisoner." He commented. "Odious, my audience just watched a slapstick show, and I only managed to preserve barely respectable ratings by billing it as a comedy show. Even if you could somehow trick the Rangers into drinking her tea, what makes you think that our viewers would want to watch the Rangers slowly die of poison instead of a good fight?"

"Because what could be better than watching the Rangers die slowly and painfully than forcing them to watch their friends do so, and give them the agonising choice...their Power Stars for their friends lives."

"Interesting." Cosmo stated. "But that still doesn't get over the small difficulty of how you poison them in the first place."

"Oh, don't worry, I have that in hand." She told him.

"Really?" He asked, suddenly sounding interested. "So what is this in-road?"

"You know better than to give too much of the story away at once." She answered. "So, shall I tell Toxitea to get ready for make-up?"

"Prepare your poisoner." Cosmo told her, waving her off. "Let me worry about the promotion."

Down at the school, the Rangers, Aiden and Mick had assembled in the yard outside the Shop Class. One of the things Mick had insisted on was that the Ranger Base was off limits to anyone other than the Rangers, which is why they were meeting out here instead of in the Ranger Base.

The whole thing was being kept pretty cordial, and everyone was quite positive about it, at least part of this was down to doubt and suspicion. It wasn't as though everyone hadn't considered the rather convenient nature of Aiden's return. They had all seen some pretty unlikely and almost impossible things in the last few months, but that didn't mean that sometimes coincidences were entirely innocent.

Aiden, for his part, didn't seem to take it personally that Mick had set up this get-together more or less so they could grill him and interrogate him on what had happened to him and why he was only just returning now seemingly out of the blue. Although the implication was that they believed at best he was a spy and at worst some kind of Trojan Horse designed to destroy them from within, he did seem pretty jovial and light-hearted about their questions.

"So when I got the train originally I went to Blue Bay Harbour." Aiden told them. "My dad had told me all about the Academy there, and I had kind of vague memories of it, so I thought if there was anywhere I could get help it would be there. Unfortunately, the one thing dad never told us was where exactly the Academy was."

Levi looked to Mick, who seemed to nod at this detail. Aiden had brought this detail up on his own, without any prompting from the others. It did seem to fit that he would attempt to go there, and it did answer the question why he hadn't gotten the other Ninjas involved.

"I was there a couple of weeks...maybe a month before I gave up looking for them." Aiden informed them. "I figured if they didn't want to be found, there was no way I would be able to find them. After that, I travelled around a bit. I kept moving, never staying anywhere too long while I kept my head down, waiting for a sign that it was safe to come out. Then, one day, while I was in a homeless shelter in Harwood, I saw a news report about the new Power Rangers team."

"So you spent the last ten years hopping around homeless shelters?" Calvin asked him.

"I got into homeless shelters when I could. A lot of the time I had to sleep rough." Aiden told him.

"How...how did you get by?" Hayley asked. "How did you feed yourself?"

"Mostly I lived off the land when I could." Aiden told her, before producing her wallet and Calvin's. "Sometimes...I admit I had to do a few things that I wasn't exactly proud of."

"HEY!" Calvin protested, snatching the wallets back. Aiden just looked to them.

"Look, I know that all of this sounds...pretty insane. If I didn't live through it, I don't think I'd believe it either." Aiden told them. "I want to help you all, however I can."

"Aiden..."

"Look, I know there's not much I can do. I don't have any powers, but...Brody's my family. However I can help him, I'll do it." Aiden continued.

"Aiden, this thing we do, there's really not much room for civilians." Mick told him.

"Well...there were a few civilian assistants on the last team." Sarah chipped in before she could stop herself. The others all stared at her. "What? There was!"

"The point is, you already know quite a bit, but you said it yourself, you don't have any powers. That makes you vulnerable." Mick reminded him. "The more you know, the more danger you're in. No one can force you to divulge any information you don't have."

"If you're worried about the Ranger Base, you don't need to worry; I've got that message loud and clear!" Aiden assured them. "Have I even asked about it since the first time? You're the one that brought it up."

"He...kind of has a point." Hayley answered.

"Besides, there are other things I can do to help." Aiden said with a smile. "I mean, from what I've seen my brother's been teaching you all pretty well, but maybe I could help out with some lessons."

"Lessons?" Calvin asked. "Look, Aiden, I don't mean to be disrespectful but..."

As Calvin reached out for him, Aiden took him to the ground, his arm twisted up behind him, and a knee on the back of his neck, driving his face into the ground.

"A dojo is great and all, but the practical lessons of the street are a pretty good teacher." Aiden told him. "A twelve year old kid wandering the streets alone...there's a lot of sick people out there that see that and see a victim."

"He...makes...a good point!" Calvin grunted as Aiden held him down. Aiden finally let him up.

"So, what about it?" Aiden asked him. "Mind if I train with you guys? Maybe see if I can teach you a few things?"

"That would be OK." Mick answered. "Now, there's some stuff I need to do, there's a couple of hours before first bell, so...I'll leave you to it!"

"Come on then Aiden." Brody said with a smile, happy that his friends seemed to finally be coming around to the idea that his brother was back and genuinely just wanted to help. Perhaps in time they would share more of their world with him, but for now, it seemed that they were happy to allow him into their world. He punched Aiden a couple of times softly. "Let's see how much of what dad taught us you remember!"


	2. Too Far

Wrench made his way into a tavern in The Sump, the poorest area of the Warrior Dome ship, and immediately started scanning the area, looking for his quarry. It had been a long search, and it surprised him that it brought him down here. This was pretty much the last place he ever expected to find the one he was looking for.

He ducked to the side as a creature flew through the air, hitting the wall beside him before exploding. He looked up to see another creature being sliced in half across the waist, before also exploding. Once the smoke cleared, he could see Ripcon standing behind it. Ripcon looked to him and snorted.

"What do you want tin man?" He asked derisively as he put his sword away, heading back to the bar while others parted ways to allow him to pass, still horrified by what they had seen. His shuffling, stumbling gait gave away the fact he'd been drinking for a while, and all things considered, Wrench couldn't really blame him.

Ripcon had been searching for the traitor that had brought the Gold Ranger onto the ship for weeks now. He had been ever since he had stumbled on the hidden lab following the blast that released him. Unfortunately, so far he had always been one step behind...or more accurately, a marathon behind. While he knew it was Odious that was responsible for the Gold Ranger's presence on the ship, he had been unable to prove it, and at every turn, every time he thought he was nearing that one piece of evidence he could present that would see her pay for her deceptions, she always managed to find some way to slime her way out of it, or worse to turn it against Ripcon. Now, there were some that were saying that he was the traitor on board.

In his desperation to bring results to Galvanax, he had purposely sabotaged one of Cosmo's shows, sending Trapsaw; a creature that anyone could see was woefully inadequate for the task in order to force a confrontation with the Red Ranger. It had turned out terribly, leaving Ripcon now in even worse position than he had been in some time. His faint hopes of his retirement to production had all but evaporated, and Cosmo had already warned him that he was just waiting for the moment to throw him to the wolves. Galvanax all but wanted to destroy him himself, and his standing in the crew was at an all-time low.

That he returned to The Sump at all, the place where he began his career, and worked very hard to get out of was a strong indication that he had all but given up. His disdain for the area was well known and the first thing he did when he could was leave and never look back. His current state was a far cry from the proud warrior that he was only days before. Wrench went over to his side.

"I never thought I'd find you here." Wrench told him.

"You no doubt hoped." Ripcon scoffed. The two had never been especially cordial. Still, Wrench could see that they now had a common problem. He had stumbled on Odious' secret lab long ago, and found the Gold Ranger back when she had him captive on the ship. He didn't know what she was doing to him, but since he recognised some of the devices he was hooked to as machinery for altering memory, he presumed she was trying to manipulate him into fighting against the Rangers. He had kept this knowledge from the rest of the crew when Odious threatened his life, but now he could see that if allowed to go unchecked, Odious would soon manoeuvre herself into a position to claim almost complete control of the ship. Like it or not, he couldn't reveal what he knew or risk questions being raised why he didn't speak up sooner. His best hopes of being rid of her were with Ripcon.

"I thought you were made of sterner stuff Ripcon." Wrench told him. "I thought you'd be working to bring Odious down..."

"Galvanax wants her in charge, he's welcome to her." Ripcon grumbled. "If he can't see what she's really like..."

"But what if he could?" Wrench asked him. Ripcon just looked to him.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Odious is sending one of her monsters to Earth this week, she is preparing to unleash Toxitea." Wrench informed him.

"Toxitea?" Ripcon asked. "What does she think that witch can do?"

"Exactly, one has to ask how she intends to administer a poison to the Rangers." Wrench stated. "What kind of in-road do you suppose she has to get close to them?"

"You think she has some infiltrator that she hasn't disclosed?" Ripcon asked him. Wrench showed him some security footage from only a few minutes previously. It showed Odious teleporting off the ship.

"Why else would she teleport off the ship and not log where she's going?" Wrench asked him. "Why else would she have her own security protocols programmed that don't register her destination?"

"What do you have to gain from this?" Ripcon asked him, becoming suspicious. Wrench just took back his tablet.

"Let's just say that Odious' elevated position is as much of a problem for me as it is for you." Wrench answered. "So, do you want to sit here killing your liver? Or do you want to keep an eye on Odious?"

Ripcon downed the last of his drink, before getting up and leaving. He stopped at the door.

"If you're setting me up Wrench..."

"Like I said, she's as much of a problem for me as she is for you right now." Wrench answered. "I want to see her gone as much as you do."

With that, Ripcon left the bar to renew his investigations. So far, Odious had been one step ahead, but if she was sneaking around, keeping her actions secret even from Cosmo and Galvanax, maybe soon she would get to be a little too clever for her own good.

Down on Earth, the Rangers were training, along with Aiden. It seemed that he hadn't lost a step in his training. He was clearly a gifted warrior, and his style was clearly just like Brody's. They all knew that Brody's exposure to the Ninja Steel had enhanced his abilities, opening his mind quickly to new ideas and training concepts that would otherwise take years of study, but Aiden it seemed was no slouch.

They had separated out into two groups, armed and unarmed training. Aiden had opted to stick with unarmed, telling them that he hadn't used a sword in years. It made a lot of sense, since they doubted a twelve year old would get terribly far running around with a sword. It would be pretty conspicuous, and draw too much attention at a time when he was trying to avoid being found. It also would have just been an extra burden at a time when things like clothing and blankets would be far more useful for his survival than a sword that was likely as tall as he was when he fled the Romero Farm. Brody had taken on the armed training.

Preston and Sarah had elected to be one team, taking on the combination of Brody and Calvin. Brody wanted to see how they were all developing in the techniques he was teaching them. He knew that there were certain things that would take his team a lot longer to master than him. He had, for instance, mastered Ninja-streaking, a technique that normally took years to master. So far the closest any of the others came was Sarah managing to very quickly get across the yard and almost fracture a kneecap on a stack of car parts! Still, there were a lot more useful techniques for them to know than just swinging a sword. After all, it wasn't always the best fighter that won a fight, and many of the opponents they would be facing had been training a lot longer than most of them had been alive. Any trick they could add to their arsenal could tip the balance of a fight.

Preston and Sarah had managed to blindside them with a quick-step that threw them off-balance, and were pushing through for the advantage, but as Calvin looked to Brody, and the Red-Ranger nodded, they both started glowing, before the Pink and Blue Rangers swung for them, striking them down. Only as they fell, the two exploded on impact, leaving nothing but straw on the floor.

"The Ninja Scarecrow Move?" Sarah asked. This was a manoeuvre that Brody had been teaching them, and had expressed was potentially very useful to confuse enemies, but it required tapping into their spiritual energies as well as just their physical skills. They'd all practiced with varying degrees of success, but had never attempted it in the middle of a fight. It took a lot of concentration and mental energy, which was difficult to summon when under pressure of an attacking opponent. They expected Brody to be able to manage it, but Calvin; it was impressive he pulled it off even under Brody's direction. An area of the backdrop came down like a curtain behind them both, revealing their opponents.

"Surprise!" Calvin called out as he and Brody took Sarah and Preston down. The Pink and Blue Rangers hit the ground, leaving them vulnerable and the Yellow and Red Rangers in position to finish them. They were both disappointed, but quickly saw the funny side of it.

"Wow, Cal that was pretty awesome!" Preston congratulated him as the pair helped them up.

"Yeah, how did you...?"

"Oh, a little patience and practice." Calvin told them. "Not to mention a whole lot of trial and error! Trust me, I messed that up a lot more than I got it right!"

As they went to get a drink and rest for a bit, they looked over to where Hayley, Levi and Aiden were practicing. Right now, Levi and Aiden were sparring. Aiden did indeed have a very impressive style, distinctly a lot of influence of the Wind Ninja Style, but it was clear his time on the streets had brought in a lot of other influences as well. Hayley smiled as they backed away from each other.

"Nice moves Aiden!" She complimented him, noting that for someone with no Ranger Powers, he was putting on a pretty impressive showing for himself. He wasn't just keeping pace, on a lot of drives, he was actually putting Levi under pressure and forcing him on the defensive, something not many of them could do given Levi's aggressive and direct style. Aiden just smiled.

"You think that's impressive, check this out!" He told her. He jumped in the air, spinning seemingly-impossibly and throwing out a couple of kicks. Levi stood, both impressed and also a little confused since he could see by the distance Aiden was in absolutely no danger of hitting him with either kick at all. However, Aiden rushed towards him, revealing the plan all along. Ninjitsu at its root was a very practical art, with most of the flips and somersaults seen in Hollywood movies being pretty much just that, Hollywood. While they did exist, most of the flasher techniques were generally always intended more as distractions than anything else, leaving the victim open for more direct attacks like punches, throws or holds. Levi had to duck a lot of very hard punches coming his way.

"Whoa, what gives?" Levi asked, before having to duck a haymaker that looked like it was destined to break his jaw. He eventually grabbed Aiden just to force him to stop, before shoving him away. Hayley looked to Levi, and the expression on her face said what he was thinking. It wasn't just him; it looked a lot like Aiden had been making a very real effort to hurt him. A little way off though, he could see Brody watching and didn't want to make a scene. He remembered what Aiden had told them. For most of them, their Martial Arts had been practiced as a hobby, with them only really needing to use them in real fights recently. For Aiden, on the streets, he'd been having to use his knowledge to defend his life since he was a young boy.

"That's cool." Levi told him, trying to lighten the mood. "But we don't go full-contact here Aiden. It's just training."

Aiden grabbed Levi's arm and twisted it, almost like he was trying to break it. Instinctively Levi flipped backwards to release the pressure, before grabbing hold of Aiden and shoving him away.

"ENOUGH!" Levi snapped, looking far from happy.

"Yeah, chill out Aiden!" Hayley said gently as she came to Levi's side.

"Hey, I'm not one to complain, but that's not cool!" Levi told him. "You want to go full-tilt, at least let the other guy know that's the deal so that you both know what to expect."

"Come on, seriously?" Aiden asked with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, we all train so we can all improve. Not beat each other's brains in." Hayley told him. "It's not a contest."

"Hey guys, what's going on?" Brody asked, coming into the middle of them.

"It seems I don't play nice enough for your friends." Aiden told him, gesturing in Levi and Hayley's direction. "I guess they figure next time they go up against Ripcon or Galvanax they can just ask them to go easy on them."

"That wasn't what we were saying at all!" Levi responded.

"Yeah, we just said..."

"Whatever, it's almost time for school to start. It's time I was making tracks." Aiden told them. "I'm out of here; I'll be back around later."

As he left, Brody looked to them.

"Guys, what's the story?" Brody asked them.

"Honestly, Brody, your brother doesn't want to train, he just wants to show off." Hayley told him.

"He's been on his own for ten years! Cut him some slack!" Brody answered. They didn't really want to press the matter. It was natural for Brody to want to back up his brother, but there was something that didn't seem to sit right with them about things. Although he wasn't a sensei or anything, he had to remember enough about the training his dad gave him to know a little about how training went.

Brody was a lot further in his training than the rest of them were, that was a given, and if he wanted to, he could probably pummel most of the team within an inch of their lives just to make a point if he felt like it, but while pain could be a good teacher, people tended to learn very little by being totally outclassed and they definitely learned very little by being decimated. Learning was a long process that required the teacher to accept and know that the student did know less than they did and to instead coax and encourage their students rather than dump large amounts of knowledge on them at once. It wasn't like many kindergarten kids would learn to read by being handed a copy of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

"Come on guys." Sarah sighed as she interjected, seeing the scene starting to build between them. She wanted to give Aiden the benefit of the doubt. She was sure that Brody would have a word with him about his teaching methods in private. "It's time we were getting showered and changed. The first bell will be going soon."

With that, they all headed for the locker rooms. Brody remained for a moment though to think about things. He knew Aiden could be a little full-on. He had been when they were kids, but he also knew that deep down Aiden was a caring person. He didn't know what exactly he had been through in ten years, but since he did know that he had to use his skills for survival, he could understand if he perhaps wasn't used to treating his skills as anything other than a tool to save his life. Maybe it would take him a little while to get used to not every fight being life or death. Still, he figured maybe he could approach the subject with him gently later.

Sarah was just coming out of the shower rooms, combing her hair as she prepared for first class, when she bumped into Monty. She smiled as she caught his books, steadying them.

"Wow, we really have to stop meeting like this." She joked. Monty didn't look amused though. He had a dark expression on his face and didn't answer her at all. Sarah realised then that the last time she had seen or spoken to him, she hadn't exactly been the friendliest. In fact, because he was trying to drive them off the protest site at the Ribbon Tree, she had used the one thing she knew would hurt him. She had blurted out that she knew about what he had done in middle-school. Fortunately no one else seemed to know what she was talking about, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt him. She could see he was still reeling from that. As he was walking away, she took a deep breath.

"Monty!" She called out. He stopped in his tracks and turned towards her. "I'm sorry."

"What?" He asked.

"I...I had no right to say what I did." She told him. "I was mad that you were trying to break up the protest and I...I had no right to say that. I have no idea what really happened, and...I'm really sorry."

"It's fine." Monty gulped. "It's...it's fine."

"No, it's really not. I obviously brought up something that really upset you and that was a low blow." She told him. "I never should have said anything. Whatever happened, it was none of my business. Please, forgive me?"

"Fine." He told her. Sarah felt a little better, but could tell he wasn't quite ready to forgive her. Maybe he had a right to be angry.

"Hey, it's not like I don't know what it's like. I'm no stranger to the occasional accidental explosion." She admitted. "I mean, this is my third set of eyebrows..."

"You don't get it at all." Monty muttered.

"Monty, whatever happened, I'm sure it was..."

"That's just it though, it was no accident!" Monty snapped at her.

"I don't know..."

"It was the biggest mistake of my life, but it wasn't an accident!" Monty told her. "I was trying to kill Ace!"


	3. A Strange Battle

Summer Cove Middle School had only just returned after the summer break, and things were running pretty much as everyone expected. Ace was standing by the bike racks, making sure no one got near his pride and joy, his custom 10-speed. He looked forward to the day he could finally get a real vehicle like a car, but that was still a couple of years away. He stood, taking a casual draw as he watched to make sure none of the new kids were dumb enough to use the same rack for their bikes. The kids that were here before already knew better than to use the same rack to hold their bike, doing so was an invitation to spend a couple of hours in a locker. Actually scratching it...well...no one wanted to find out what Ace would do then.

"Hey cuz." Victor said as he arrived. This Victor wasn't the one that a lot of the kids that knew him in High School. He was dressed a lot more like Ace now, in a leather jacket and white t-shirt and ripped jeans. He had a lot less of the usual bombastic demeanour about him. This Victor was more miserable. "Got one of those for me?"

"Since when did you start smoking?" Ace asked him, flipping out a cigarette for his cousin and lighting it for him. Victor just shrugged as he took his first draw. "So how was the funeral?"

"Didn't go." Victor grumbled. Ace just looked to him a little strangely. "All those guys in uniforms I've never met telling me how great dad was like they were his best friends. I just stayed in the hotel."

"Sorry man." Ace answered. Victor just shrugged.

"A lot of new fish." He commented. Ace just snorted.

"A lot of folks decided they don't want to live in Harwood anymore." Ace told him. "Usually it's just the new freshmen we have to whip into shape, this year I've got a whole swarm of kids to educate how things work around here."

"Don't worry about it." Victor sighed. "We only have one more year here anyway."

"Looks like we have our first lesson right here." Ace commented as a kid approached the bike racks. He was pushing a bike that looked like it had been cobbled together out of stuff drawn from a dumpster and welded together. Unusually for a boy, he actually had a basket on the front, in which he was carrying his backpack which was adorned with a whole host of buttons from various forms of anime and museums. The kid had a sort of almost afro hair-cut, but was a scrawny kid that looked so pale they were almost surprised he didn't burst into flames in direct sunlight. He was wearing a collared shirt and trousers with a bow tie, and had glasses. "Hey kid, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I...I...I was just going to..."

"This rack is for MY bike." Ace told him. "Park it somewhere else."

"There's...there's nowhere else." The young Monty stammered. "All the other racks are taken."

"Just put your bike over there." Victor chuckled. "I can pretty much guarantee no one will take it. Hell, they'd probably feel sorry for you and leave you money for a real bike."

"Well I...I need to lock it up." Monty told them. "It's a whole rack, I can put mine at the end here, it's nowhere near your bike..."

"Listen kid, I'm not going to tell you again, beat it!" Victor told him.

"No, wait Victor, maybe we're being a little hasty here." Ace said as a smile crossed his lips. He approached Monty and inspected his bag, looking at the pins in particular. While many of them were dedicated to his many fandoms, he also had a lot that were dedicated to science. He was a frequent visitor to museums and suchlike, and a few were even for competitions he had been to. "You some kind of super-nerd?"

"Really Ace? Look at him!" Victor scoffed.

"No, look at this, spelling bee champion, math bowl, science expo...this guy's a regular Egon Must."

"I think you mean Elon Musk..."

"Did I ask you?" Ace asked.

"Well...yeah, you did...sort of." Monty rambled. Ace put an arm around him.

"Well, you see we have a few problems with teachers." Ace told him. "Not so much with tests, we've got that covered, but our course work, they just give us so much and we have so many other interests..."

"Well I would be happy to help with some tutoring..."

"Yeah, see that doesn't work for us. That still sounds like an awful lot of work." Ace told him. "I think we'd prefer if you just...did it for us."

"I don't think..."

"Well I don't think that you have much choice now do you?" Ace asked him. "You hungry Victor?"

"Always." Victor chuckled, seeing his cousin shaking down the new fish. It was clear this kid was terrified of him. It wasn't hard to see why; the kid's arms were so skinny they looked like Ace could snap them between his fingers.

"Well maybe since we're being so kind to our new friend here, letting him use our rack, he'll be kind enough to return the favour." Ace suggested, holding out his hand. "Those vending machines aren't cheap you know."

"B...but I only have five bucks." Monty told him. "My mom gave me that for lunch."

"Well consider this the start of your diet." Ace told him, shoving him against a wall and going through Monty's pockets. He found his wallet and pulled out the money, before tossing it back at him.

"Thanks." Ace replied. "Lock your bike up here all you like kid. Just don't forget to bring payment."

With that, Victor and Ace left, leaving Monty to retrieve his wallet and lock up his bike. It was the start of a pattern of harassment that would last most of the year.

Back in the present, the Rangers were in Home Economics Class, but for once there weren't any kids that were particularly unhappy. The only person in the classroom that didn't look like they were having a good time was Principal Hastings, who by virtue of yet another member of staff leaving had to oversee this class. The kids though were delighted, because on this day, they were making an inordinate amount of chocolate!

The school had been signed up to a children's charity auction, and were using Home Economics to provide the treats for sale. Of course with a bunch of kids and a classroom that was looking more like a scene from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, spirits were understandably high.

"So that's us down another teacher?" Brody asked.

"Yeah, Mr Edwards upped and quit last week." Hayley told them. "He had some relatives out east. I guess he finally had enough of all the attacks."

"Yeah, the janitor's gone too." Calvin added. "I went into the bathrooms this morning...let me tell you, that was NOT pretty!"

"Alright class, it's almost lunchtime!" Principal Hastings told them. "Finish filling your moulds! I want to be out of here sharp!"

"Sure thing Principal Hastings!" Hayley called over. "Wow, someone should tell her about charity. None of us would mind being held back a few minutes to finish this up, that last couple of batches just wouldn't set in this heat."

"Maybe charity isn't her thing." Sarah answered with a shrug.

"Are you kidding? It was her idea!" Preston told her. "She's done this every year since she got here!"

"Less talk, more pouring!" Principal Hastings rushed out, clapping to make a point. "Let's go people!"

"It's alright Principal Hastings, we can finish up here." Victor told her.

"Fine, just...lock up when you're done!" She sighed, throwing the keys to Victor and leaving with the kind of urgency usually reserved for someone fleeing law enforcement or running towards incredible riches.

"Well, I guess that gives us..."

Just then, their morphers bleeped. Sarah just rolled her eyes.

"Great, what now?" She asked.

"Guys, there's something big going down at the ice rink." Mick told them. "Ripcon's shown up and...he's not alone."

"Ripcon?" Brody gasped. "Alright, we need to go, NOW!"

"Um...Victor, we need to go." Sarah said as she approached him. "We've already poured our moulds, could you keep an eye on them?"

"Sure thing." Victor said with a shrug. He gestured to Monty, who was standing on the table, about to pour chocolate into a massive mould as the lunch bell went. "Pour the mould Monty! Lunch can wait!"

Back in the past, Monty went to school as he had for months. Ace had made it his personal mission to make life miserable for him. Monty's parents had never encouraged conflict, which was a good thing since Monty had the muscle definition of well-cooked linguine, but that didn't mean that Ace left him alone. Monty arrived at the bike rack, finding Ace, along with his friends, and Victor waiting for him. He smiled as he saw him.

"Monty! I was starting to worry you were throwing a sick day!" Ace said as he approached. "So, have you got those essays for us?"

Monty just opened his bag and pulled out a few documents, handing them over. It was only down to how good a student Monty was, combined with the fact he didn't have any friends that he had the time to do not only his own homework, but other versions for Ace and Victor. Ace looked to them and smiled.

"You hungry Victor?" He asked. Monty just groaned.

"Oh come on!" He complained. "I gave you..."

"I'm peckish." Victor answered with a smirk. Ace grabbed Monty's bag and pulled it off him. After the first couple of days, Monty started bringing packed lunches instead of money for the canteen. It was his parents' idea to keep him out of conflict. They reasoned if he didn't have any money, they would leave him alone. They were wrong; it seemed that Ace was just as happy taking his lunches as he was his lunch money.

"Sandwiches, nice!" Ace called out, throwing them to Victor. He reached into the Tupperware for something else; usually they sent him with sandwiches and also a kind of treat. He wrinkled his nose as he pulled out a small box. "What the hell is this?"

"They're...um...raisins." Monty told him. They all turned around as they heard Victor spitting and coughing wildly.

"What the hell?" He spluttered, looking at the contents of the sandwich. "Is that..."

"Um...it's...tongue." Monty told him. This was now his parents' latest scheme to get Monty to keep his lunch. Monty's parents were heavily into nutrition and only encouraged him to eat things that normally a lot of kids turned their noses up at. Tongue, liver, kidney, sardines...all of them were very healthy and all of them Monty was more than happy to eat, but the average kid his age...not so much!

"What the hell are you trying to do to me Monty? Poison me?" Victor protested, throwing the sandwich at him. Ace threw the raisins at him before looking to the others.

"Well, since you didn't pay for the rack, you have to use alternate parking." Ace told him, gesturing to the dumpster. Ace's friends laughed as they grabbed Monty's bike and picked it up.

"No, no wait, please don't..." The air was driven out of Monty as Ace punched him hard in the gut. He fell to the ground, struggling to breathe as the other kids dumped his bike in the dumpster.

"You know, sometimes I wonder why we're so good to you Monty." Ace told him, gently tapping Monty's cheek. "It's like you WANT me to be mean to you the way you keep testing my patience with these stunts."

As Ace and his friends left, laughing and congratulating him, Monty pulled himself to his feet, and started to struggle to remove his bike from the trash. He trapped his fingers on the chain and swore loudly, beginning to kick and punch the dumpster in anger as he swore at it, before bursting into tears. He had done everything his parents had told him. He had been nice, he had laughed when people called him names, he had gone out of his way to avoid any kind of confrontation, but now it was clear. None of it worked.

He grabbed his bike and with a massive yell, his adrenaline kicked in and he pulled it out, where it hit the ground. He chained up his bike, wiping away his tears. It was now more clear than ever. No matter what he did, no matter how much he accommodated Ace, he would never leave him alone. If he ever wanted to be free of him, he'd have to do something to make him!

Of course there was the ever present problem. Ace was huge! Well, by comparison to him anyway. Any attempt to fight him would end very quickly and very predictably. Ace had floored him with one punch and by the looks of things he wasn't even trying.

Then there was another problem. He had always heard the stories from others who always said that if you met a bully just punch the biggest one on the nose and it would all be over. It was a beautiful story, one that gave hope to more than one kid, but the problem was he had seen how it REALLY ended. Bullies went around in groups because they were cowards.

The friends were there mainly as an audience for their antics, but also for back-up in case things went badly. The one or two times he had seen a kid take a swing at their bully usually what happened was he was immediately dragged to the ground by his five or six friends and beaten to a pulp! It wasn't fair; if brains were a deciding factor then Ace wouldn't have a chance against him. Unfortunately brains didn't figure much into the basic physics equation of a fist versus a face. No, if he was going to be able to survive, he needed to find a way to make sure Ace and ALL of his friends knew that coming after him was a bad idea. He needed to figure out a way that ensured none of them would dare look his way ever again!

The Rangers got to the ice rink, finding people already fleeing the area.

"Mick, are you sure you've got this right?" Calvin asked. "You said Ripcon was here but I only see Kudabots!"

"And there are a lot of them!" Sarah added. "But...they're not attacking people. It almost looks like they're...looking for someone."

"Look who else is here!" Hayley called out, pointing a little way off. Looking up, they all saw Aiden doing his very best to battle the Kudabots and clear a way for people to escape.

It was something to behold. It was very clear that he knew the same moves and techniques as Brody, having been taught by the same teacher, but he was far more aggressive, and a lot of his technique was interspersed with what could only be described as gutter-war tactics. Aiden had told them he had to use his skills a few times on the streets, and it looked like he had learned how to get pretty down and dirty when the situation called for it. The Kudabots were falling in droves beneath his attacks.

"Everybody get out of here!" Aiden called out, disarming one of its spear before impaling it with its own weapon.

"Way to go Aiden!" Brody called out. He looked to his friends. "You still think he's just a show-off?"

Levi and Hayley knew that this was a shot at them. They had voiced concerns over Aiden before now, but here it looked a lot more like he was genuinely there to help. As the Rangers ran in to join the battle, there was an explosion from the building and Ripcon stumbled out.

"Odious!" He screamed. "Come on out here Odious, I know you're on this planet somewhere!"

He stumbled and staggered as he swung wildly, looking around the area.

"ODIOUS!" He screamed, before his eyes came to rest on Brody. "Rat-bait? What are you doing here?"

"You're attacking the city! We came to stop you!" Brody answered. "That's kind of how this all works."

"Brody, I don't see any Buzz-Cams." Sarah commented.

"ODIOUS!" Ripcon screamed again as he spun around, before tripping over his own feet and falling to the ground. The Rangers all stared at him, completely confused.

"Wait, what's going on?" Hayley asked. "Is he sick or something?"

"No, but he probably will be in a few hours!" Preston commented, holding a hand over his face as he got close. "He smells like a brewery! A really, really bad one!"

"I'm still more than enough to take care of you!" Ripcon said as he got to his feet, swaying a little as he stood up. He drew both his swords. "Come on! I'll take you all on!"

The Rangers were about to advance when Ripcon held up a hand to indicate to them to stop. They watched as he weaved and stumbled for a bit, before doubling over and vomiting all over the ground.

"Ew gross!" Hayley commented.

"He's smashed out of his brain!" Calvin stated. "He's more of a danger to himself than anyone else!"

Ripcon swung a sword their way, casting out an energy wave that knocked them all down.

"OK, maybe...he's still a danger to us." Calvin conceded.

"He's out of his face, but he's still dangerous." Brody commented. "This might be the best chance to take care of him before..."

Unfortunately he never finished that thought. A beam hit the ground and he disappeared before their eyes. The team all looked at each other.

"Um...OK, that was just weird right?" Levi asked. "It's not just me."

"He said he was looking for Odious right?" Sarah asked. "Maybe he has some kind of dispute with her and us getting involved was just...kind of an accident?"

"That's interesting. If they have a beef with each other, that might be something that we can use against them." Brody answered as he went to his brother and smiled. "Thanks for your help Aiden."

"Hey, any time." Aiden said with a smile. "That's what we were trained for right?"

"The only thing I don't get is, if Ripcon is looking for Odious, why would he come here?" Preston asked.

"He was drunk out of his skull; it probably made sense at the time." Calvin told him.

"Or maybe I was here all along!" Madame Odious said, catching their attention. Toxitea was standing next to her. "Toxitea, why don't you start with White and Gold?"

"With pleasure!" Toxitea told her, firing a blast their way. Brody ran and blocked the attack with his body, being knocked off his feet.

"BRODY!" Aiden called out, but Brody was already back on his feet before Aiden could help him.

"It's alright, I'll be fine." Brody assured him. "I've been hit harder than that by kudabots!"

"Toxitea, your attack failed!" Odious stated. "Let's get out of here!"

With that, they ran off, disappearing in a flash. The Rangers all just stared after them.

"What was that all about?" Preston asked.

"I don't know." Brody answered as they all powered down. "But we don't have time to worry about it now. We have some more chocolate to make for that auction. Victor and Monty could use some help."

"Chocolate?" Aiden asked with a smile. "You didn't say anything about chocolate!"

"Aiden, you can't just walk into school." Sarah told him. He just laughed.

"Ninja, remember?" He asked her. "Just show me where the chocolate is and let me worry about the rest!"


	4. Cleanup

Ripcon appeared on the Warrior Dome, in a darkened room and immediately fell to his knees. He had gone to battle with the Rangers, and done nothing but embarrass himself. Although hatred still burned within him and he had the will to fight and kill anything within arm's reach, he knew that his co-ordination was shot to hell considering the vast quantity of alcohol he had consumed. His courage and bravado far outweighed his skill, and he had made himself look like a drunken fool. The fact he had been teleported back to the ship was worrying, he didn't have permission to leave the ship, and he definitely didn't have permission to engage the Rangers.

"Galvanax, Champ! Please, let me explain..." He started to rush out, before the lights came up and he saw Wrench standing in a room alone with him. Looking around, he realised he was not in the Champion's Quarters, he wasn't in Cosmo's office, he wasn't even in the main studio. He had been brought to Wrench's lab. He wasn't even sure it was possible, or that Wrench had access to the system, but the discovery of the Gold Ranger and Odious' ability to leave the ship undetected had left him with no doubt that the ship had more secrets than he first knew. "What...what are you doing?"

"I'm saving your worthless, drunken hide by the looks of things!" Wrench said as he approached him to help Ripcon up. Ripcon shoved him away. "Hey! I just saved..."

"You should have left me!" Ripcon screamed at him. "Once Galvanax finds out about this..."

"Galvanax doesn't know a thing; he doesn't even know I sent you to Earth in the first place!" Wrench assured him. "Though right now I'm wondering why I didn't just leave you."

"I...I humiliated myself! I made myself look weak in front of the enemy!" He grumbled. "I deserved..."

"Believe me, nothing would have given me greater pleasure than to watch the Rangers spit-roast you, but right now you're still useful to me." Wrench told him. "Well...you will be once you sober up and get over that hangover. I can't believe I risked myself for you to do something like this...I should have let the Rangers destroy you and used this just to make a point!"

"What...what's that?" Ripcon asked, looking to the machine Wrench was pointing to.

"That, that's just a little souvenir I brought from my previous employer." Wrench told him. He saw a couple of jars sitting next to it.

"And those?" He asked.

"Let's just say that's something I hope I never have to use." Wrench answered, rolling out a cot for him. "Now, sleep it off and don't go anywhere until I tell you!"

Ripcon waddled over to the cot and face-planted into it before starting to snore loudly. Wrench just looked to him and sighed.

"You nearly blew everything!" He grumbled. "I guess that's why you're the fighter and I'm the engineer."

The Rangers and Aiden arrived back at the school, finding Monty running around in a panic. There weren't many others around, but given the fact it was lunch time they figured most would either be at the canteen or have left the grounds to get something to eat.

"Victor!" Monty wailed as he ran around. "VICTOR!"

"Whoa, Monty, calm down!" Sarah said sympathetically, grabbing him by the shoulders. "What's going on?"

"Have any of you guys seen Victor?" He rushed out. They all looked to each other.

"Um...we all just got back." Brody told him. "Last time we saw him, he was with you."

"What happened?" Sarah asked again.

"I accidentally poured chocolate on him. He went to get cleaned up." Monty informed them. "I haven't seen him since then!"

"Have you tried the bathroom?" Preston suggested. Monty started to nod frantically.

"Maybe because right now the bathroom is the last place any sane person wants to be?" Calvin asked him. "I swear I just opened the door there this morning and my eyes were burning!"

"The bathroom! Right...why didn't I think of that?" He rushed out as he ran off.

"Poor Monty." Hayley sighed. "Victor treats him like a doormat and he keeps running around after him. Victor really doesn't deserve a friend like that."

"You don't know the full story." Sarah told her. Hayley just looked to her.

"And you do?" She asked. Sarah wanted to say something, but she stopped herself. The fact was Monty had told her the story.

"It's not that complicated." Brody told her. "Weak personalities have a habit of latching onto stronger ones. It's a survival instinct."

"I really don't think..." Sarah started to say, but she stopped when she realised that she couldn't say anything without betraying Monty's confidence any more than she already had. It was only good luck that her friends either hadn't remembered what she said at the Ribbon Tree, or hadn't thought enough about it to look it up themselves. "...yeah, maybe it's something like that."

"Say, Aiden, you should probably be making tracks." Calvin suggested. Aiden just stared blankly at him.

"Why?" He asked.

"Well, you're really not meant to be here." Hayley reminded him. "You're not a student, and..."

"Hey, trained ninja remember?" Aiden said with a smile. "If I don't want to get noticed, I won't be."

"I love the confidence, but Principal Hastings likes to patrol..."

"Hell, I bet I could do a song and dance number in here and no one would notice." Aiden said, picking up a mop. They all just stared at him, wondering what he was doing, all except Brody. He could remember even as kids that Aiden had a little bit of a cocky streak. Being older and further along in his training, Aiden had a habit of showing off, especially in front of Brody. It would be just like him to push his luck.

"Aiden, please..."

"Chim Chimminey, Chim Chimminey, Chim Chim, Chereeeeeee!" He started to sing as he replicated the song and dance number from Mary Poppins with the mop. Dane had loved the movie and watched it with his kids numerous times. The team couldn't help laughing, even as Brody nervously started to try and get Aiden to stop.

"Aiden, that's enough."

"But I haven't even gotten to the good part yet!" Aiden said as he swung around. However, as he did, he found himself face-to-face with Principal Hastings, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere. The Rangers and Aiden all stopped still and stared at her.

"What exactly are you doing?" She asked him.

"Um...well...um...I..." Aiden started to stammer.

"Principal Hastings..."

"I've got this covered Hayley!" She told the White Ranger, before pulling out a large bunch of keys and handing them to Aiden. "If you've got time to entertain the students you have time to clean that boy's room."

"I'm sorry?" Aiden asked.

"Well, it is your job isn't it?" She demanded, pointing to the cleaning cupboard. "Now, it's up to you, but I'd suggest wearing coveralls. The boys in this place are disgusting...no offence kids."

"Um...none taken." Preston offered weakly. She stared straight at Aiden.

"Stop by my office later with your bank details, I'll need that to set up the transfer for your salary." She told him. "Now, go! I expect that bathroom to be clean enough to eat off in an hour, and for YOUR sake it better be because you'll be the one eating to prove it's done!"

With that, she just walked away. As the team all burst out laughing, Aiden just flicked a thumb in the direction she went.

"What just happened?" He asked. "Does...does she think I'm the janitor?"

"It's kind of her hiring policy." Sarah chuckled. "It's how Mick got his job, and Levi..."

"Yeah, that's pretty much exactly how I got my job." He coughed, hoping to end the conversation early. He didn't want to tell the team there was a whole other part in how he got the job he really didn't want to admit to.

"Well, I guess it gives Aiden a reason to be here." Brody said with a shrug. "Not to mention it'll be nice to have an income coming into the house."

"Never let it be said a ninja isn't willing to get his hands dirty." Aiden sighed as he went into the cleaning cupboard to get changed. As the team started to leave, Hayley noticed that Sarah was just looking the direction Monty had run.

"Hey, I'm sure he'll find him." Hayley assured her. "Victor would never give up his favourite victim."

"I guess you're right." Sarah sighed as she went with Hayley, wishing she could tell her that there was so much more to the bizarre relationship between the two than they could possibly know.

In the past, Monty went down into his room in the basement, sporting the bruises and carrying the humiliation of yet another day as he went. He was miserable, and it was only getting worse. His parents had spoken to the school, but without evidence, they could do nothing against Ace, who always had an alibi as a result of the large number of kids willing to testify that he was nowhere near Monty whenever he "tripped and fell into a garbage can" or "dropped his own books on the floor."

His parents weren't much more help. Monty had only ever heard from them that Ace would get bored in time or that if he just didn't retaliate then he would lose interest since he was only looking for a reaction, but none of that was working. After one too many "bathroom showers", Monty was sick fed up, and he was preparing to bring an end to the torment once and for all.

He had been moved down to the basement to give him more room to work for his experiments and suchlike, and down here, his parents couldn't hear much of anything Monty did. He wondered if that was more for their benefit than his.

He went to the computer, and pulled up a document that he had been working on for some time, detailing everything that was wrong with his life. How he felt whenever he pleaded for someone to help him and got nothing in return, and detailing in graphic detail every single transgression against him. Satisfied it was finished, he typed in the final line.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be stronger, that I couldn't just ride it out like you taught me, but I just can't see the end of this tunnel. If it's going to end, I have to end it myself. I'm sorry, love Monty."

He saved it, and left it on the computer, before going to his dresser and pulling out the belt to one of his nightgowns, and looked up to the support beam. He had planned this all out; it would be morning before his parents would come to find out why he wasn't ready for breakfast. More than long enough to make sure he did the job right.

He got up onto his bed and reached up...before the plan unravelled spectacularly quickly. He was a short kid, and even standing on the bed he couldn't reach the support beam. He tried a couple of times to throw the belt over the support beam, but athletics was as alien to him as physics was to most of his classmates! He tried jumping up and down on the bed, flailing to grab the beam, but even as he got a hand to it, he didn't have the strength to hold himself up long enough to tie up the belt.

He fell to the floor, and sitting up, a flood of tears came to him as he kicked his bag away. He couldn't even do this right. Maybe Ace was right all along. Maybe he was a loser. Maybe he was a loser for studying and learning when Ace could just beat kids to get the answers to his coursework. He'd even found a way around the tests lately. He had found a way to get a hold of tests, which he sold to some of his friends for a little extra money on the side. He had heard Ace talk about going to the school to collect this week's geography quiz the next morning.

That was when something occurred to him. Ace was helpless; he needed others to do things for him! He couldn't do anything on his own! He wasn't smart enough to deal with things outside his area of understanding; even his famed knowledge of mechanics was a sham. He had seen him take his bike to a shop to get his latest upgrades!

He looked to the books and parts scattered around his room and a new thought came to him. He was smarter than Ace, he was smart enough to make sure that he would never bother him again...and more than that, he knew a time and place where Ace wouldn't have anyone to help him. He grabbed some components as a thought came to him. He was going to the school in the morning to collect the tests. It was Saturday, so he would be alone, no one would be there to help him. All Monty would have to do was catch him by surprise. Maybe with a weapon...no, even with a weapon Ace would probably still pound him like a piñata.

Of course, not all weapons were the same. Some didn't even need him to be there! Looking to the parts on his desk, he wiped away some tears and frantically got to work. This was so much better. After all, what would killing himself prove other than Ace was right and he was pathetic? Far from being upset, he was sure Ace would probably laugh. Of course, with a little knowledge and some planning, Monty could be sure he would never laugh at him ever again!

Back in the present, in the Ranger Base, the team were relaying the day's events to Mick and Redbot, comparing notes on what had happened. It was unusual to see an attack any day other than Friday...it was also unusual to see any attack with no cameras. Cosmo had one golden rule about the Warrior Dome. No one died off-camera. No one died unless he could make money from it! To think a whole battle had taken place where dozens of Kudabots had been destroyed, Odious, Ripcon and another monster had shown up without anyone even filming it was truly baffling.

"So Ripcon was drunk?" Mick asked them.

"He wasn't just drunk, he was paralytic!" Sarah told him. "The safest place for us to stand was directly in front of him! It's the only place he'd never have been able to hit us!"

"Are you saying Ripcon didn't drink?" Calvin asked.

"Never before or during a fight." Mick answered, scratching his head. "Whatever's going on up there has to have really gotten under his skin."

"He's still looking for whoever took me onto the Warrior Dome. He seems convinced Odious is setting him up." Levi recalled.

"Was it Odious?" Sarah asked. "I mean, we know she kidnapped you but...are you sure she's the mastermind?"

"I honestly wish I knew." Levi replied sadly. "I don't remember a whole lot about what went on up there. I'm not even particularly sure about a lot of the stuff I know about my own life."

"Hey, it's alright." Preston answered sympathetically. "They kind of stuck your brain in a blender, I think we can all forgive you for blanking on a few details."

Levi just nodded, but kept quiet. He didn't want the others to worry, but he also wasn't being honest about just how much he was blanking on. A lot of details he should know, things about his childhood, places he had been...things that weren't connected at all to his time on the ship were just gone. It frustrated him to think that there was so much of his own life that he was essentially taking best-guesses about.

"Whatever's going on up there, it could be used to our advantage." Mick suggested. "The board room up there has never exactly been what you would call united."

"I just want to know what the deal was with Odious and that other monster." Hayley replied. "I mean, we've faced weak monsters before, but none whose attacks did literally nothing."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Preston asked Brody. The Red Ranger just shrugged.

"Nothing I can't handle." He answered.

"Alright, for now we just need to be on our guard and be ready for things when they do make their move." Mick replied. "Sarah, you said that Aiden's the janitor now?"

"Yeah, he got the usual Principal Hastings recruitment method." Sarah told him. "Someone really needs to teach that woman about background checks!"

"Can you call in another favour from Dr Morgan and sort him out with some papers?" Mick asked her. "He's covered to be here, but the last thing we need is anyone asking too many questions."

"I dread the day Dr Morgan starts calling these favours in." Sarah sighed as she dialled her phone and stepped outside.

"So what about the rest of us?" Preston asked. Just then, the bell rang.

"I guess we go to class." Brody answered, getting up. They heard a grumble and he put a hand on his stomach.

"Are you alright?" Hayley asked him.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I think I just ate too fast." He assured her. "I really hope Aiden's cleaned up that bathroom."

"I'd hope so too." Calvin answered. "That place was NASTY!"

As the Rangers left, Mick looked deep in thought. Redbot just looked to him curiously.

"Mick, what is it?" He asked.

"I don't know...a lot is happening at once." Mick told him. "I'm just...not sure I like it."

"You're probably just being paranoid." Redbot suggested.

"Maybe." Mick answered with a shrug. "But it's kept us alive this long."

With that, Mick headed out to his class to await his first students of the afternoon, while Redbot went to work on the forge.


	5. With A Bang

In the past, the day was coming to an end at Summer Cove Middle School. As the final bell rang, there was an almighty cheer going up from the kids, all except Monty. While all of them were thinking about whatever they were planning to do that weekend, Monty had some work to do. He had a very small window of opportunity, the kids at the school and the staff would spend the usual amount of time milling around, grabbing what they needed for the weekend, they would be leaving the school grounds like the place was on fire pretty soon. The staff would be a little later, but most of them would be making a pretty hasty pace out as well, so he only had a short time, perhaps a couple of minutes to set up.

He stood a little way off, watching as Ace laughed and joked with his friends by his locker, checking his watch. Trust this day, the one day he was hoping that Ace would be heading out quickly, he was hanging around. He could see some money being exchanged, and knew that it would likely be for the tests.

"Come on man, just spot me, you know I'm good for it." One of his friends complained. "I don't get my allowance until next week."

"Hey man, no pay no play." Ace told him.

"But if I flunk geography I'll be in summer school for sure!" The kid whined.

"Then go to the library and check out an atlas." Ace responded as they others laughed, putting the money in an envelope and putting it inside the locker, before closing it over. "Alright, come on let's get out of here. Being at school when we're meant to be is bad enough, being at school after hour's just gives me the creeps!"

As he watched them leave, Monty moved quickly. Thanks to Ace's delay he didn't have long, but he'd still have enough time. He started to work the combination lock on Ace's locker, making short work of it. Setting down his bag, he pulled out a device and slipped it inside.

It was small, and crude, but would be more than powerful enough to do what he intended it to. The blast would be unlikely to be powerful enough to rip apart the locker, which would mean it would act like a barrel, channelling the force outwards through the path of last resistance. He started to close over the locker door and flipped a switch, which activate a pressure system. He took in a sharp breath as he held the door, ensuring it held. Now, when the door was opened, the bomb would go off. Since the whole force of the blast would propel directly outwards, if someone was standing right in front of the locker, they'd get the full force head-on...and since Ace's locker was the top one, he'd get it right in his stupid face! Monty locked the locker door, before turning in time to see someone standing next to him.

"Monty, what are you doing here?" She asked. It was a girl, somewhere in her early twenties, with wavy blonde hair and just a few freckles.

"M...M...Ms Lewis!" Monty stammered, seeing her. Ms Lewis was a teaching assistant in the school, attached to the geography department as an internship for academic credit while she studied for her teaching qualifications. She was also easily the biggest crush for pretty much every boy in the whole school. She had a sunny, cheerful demeanour and a bright smile that was infectious and she always had time to talk to the students. "I...I was just..."

"If you're having problems with the locker, it might help if you were trying to get into the right one." She suggested light-heartedly. "Yours is down there silly."

"Oh...right...yeah, of course." Monty answered. "I'll just get my homework and be on my way."

"Have a good weekend Monty." She told him. "Don't work too hard!"

With that, Monty went to his locker, pretending to get some books out of his locker, while he waited for Ms Lewis to go. She seemed to hang around for a little bit, almost like she was waiting for something, before she got a call on her cell phone. She glanced Monty's way as she answered and smiled, before waving and leaving.

Back in the present, at the school, the Rangers were in music class, something of a nice change of pace for them since Levi was taking the class. While he didn't go easy on them, he really couldn't since they had been seen together outside of class and so they didn't want to risk any accusations of favouritism, but he certainly didn't come down particularly hard on them if they chatted a little in class so long as they kept discrete about it.

"I think you're still a little sharp there Preston." Sarah told him as he hammered out a tune on his keyboard. "Maybe a little further down the keyboard?"

"You OK Brody?" Calvin asked as Brody started rubbing his stomach.

"I'm not sure; I think I might have eaten something a little dodgy." He grumbled.

"More like you ate too much!" Sarah teased him. "We all saw how much of that chocolate you were hovering down. Some of it IS meant to go to the kid's auction you know."

"Say, has anyone seen Monty?" Levi asked as he did his rounds of the classroom. The class all started looking around and shaking their heads.

"He was looking for Victor earlier." Preston told him. Levi just scratched his head and looked around.

"Yeah, that's a thing...has anyone seen Victor?" He asked. Just then, Monty burst into the room.

"VICTOR!" He called out.

"Whoa, Monty, why are you so...?"

"Victor! Have you seen Victor?" He begged Levi.

"Um...not since earlier...what's going on?" Levi asked, now forgetting all about the fact Monty had come into class late.

"I spilled chocolate on him earlier, and then I went to get help." Monty told him. "When I got back, all the chocolate was gone...including Victor!"

"So you haven't seen him since this morning?" Levi asked. "Where could he have gone...?"

"What's up teach?" Victor declared as he came into the class. Monty rushed over to him, hugging him tightly.

"VICTOR!" Monty yelled. "I was so worried! When I couldn't find you, I thought, I...I thought, you were covered in chocolate..."

"Exactly, so I had to go home and get changed and shower before afternoon class." Victor told him. "Sorry I'm late teach."

"No worries." Levi answered. "You can work with the xylophone today."

"Victor, I was so worried, when I saw the chocolate was missing and so were you..."

"You thought...you thought what?" Victor asked. "You thought I was still in that chocolate?"

"Well...you were when I left!" Monty told him. Victor just laughed.

"I broke out!" He told him. "I just needed to freshen up, that's all!"

"But...you were a statue..."

"Monty, it was chocolate. It wasn't concrete." Victor told him, clapping his friend on the shoulder as they both went to take their seats.

"Well, I guess that's one mystery solved." Hayley commented. "I just wish all the mysteries resolved themselves so easily."

As Victor and Monty sat down, Monty was delighted, and smiled brightly. He'd allowed his imagination to run away with him. Thinking about it, being trapped in chocolate did seem pretty far-fetched. She was just glad he was alright.

Back in the past, Saturday came, and Monty arrived at the school on his bike, watching as Ace and his friends hung around outside the school. He was here to watch, to make sure everything went to plan. He hid his bike and pulled in to watch. He watched on, but seeing Ace just smoking and laughing with his friends, he was itching and impatient. Why was he hanging around? Why didn't he just go to his locker like he was here to do?

"What's with the gum?" Ace asked as Victor popped some chewing gum into his mouth.

"I'm trying to quit." Victor answered. "So what's the dealio? Why aren't we getting those tests?"

Monty wanted to know that too. What was the delay? Normally Ace looked as comfortable around the school as he would in a prison cell. Why was he spending any more time here than he needed to?

"You just need to be patient." Ace told him. Victor just sighed and looked to him. "Alright, the delivery hasn't been made yet."

"Delivery?" Monty asked himself, hearing this.

"You haven't got the tests yet?" Victor asked. "What the hell?"

"There was some delay or something; I'll get a text when they're delivered." Ace told him. "Trust me, we'll all be on easy street soon enough!"

Monty froze as he heard this. He hadn't thought to look in the locker to see the tests were there. If the tests hadn't been delivered yet, that meant someone else was going to open the locker!

He looked up as he saw a car coming in and heading for the staff car park. He held his breath as he realised to his horror that it was Ms. Lewis. Now it all made sense, he hadn't stopped to think how Ace was getting the tests. As a teaching assistant, Ms Lewis would have access to them. Hell, as a TA she was probably the one that actually made up the tests in the first place! He broke into a run, heading for the back door of the school. Ace saw him coming and smiled.

"Well, well, well, it looks like we get some entertainment while we wait!" He taunted him as he grabbed Monty. "Now, what could you be doing here...?"

"Let me go Ace!" Monty screeched, struggling to get away.

"Now, that isn't very nice now is it?" Ace asked him as Monty struggled to get away from him. "I think for that, you need to spend a little time in the dumpster..."

"Let go of me Ace! I don't have time for this!" Monty screamed.

"Sorry twerp, but you showed up here and interrupted..."

"I PUT A BOMB IN YOUR LOCKER!" Monty screamed. Everyone suddenly stopped laughing and just stared at Monty.

"You really think I'm going to buy that?" He asked.

"Let me go Ace!" Monty screamed at him. "If someone doesn't warn Ms. Lewis, she's going to die!"

Victor grabbed Monty off his cousin and ran with him into the school.

They got there just in time to see Ms Lewis arriving at Ace's locker with a folder in hand. She didn't seem to see them as she started to enter the combination.

"Ms Lewis, don't open it!" Monty screamed. Unfortunately, it was already too late. She had unlocked the locker and was starting to open it.

Victor sprinted at her as fast as he could, tackling her at speed. The door of the locker flew open, and the blast went off, leaving them both lying unmoving on the ground. Ace and his friends had arrived when they heard the blast, only to see the aftermath. Monty stood, frozen to the spot, looking in horror at Victor and Ms Lewis.

"You...you...you really did it!" Ace gasped as he looked to his cousin, before turning back to Monty. He grabbed him around the neck and dragged him outside, consumed with rage. Monty didn't even fight back as he was dragged away.

In the present, back at Sumer Cove High, the day was just breaking up and the team were going their separate ways.

Principal Hastings was loading up her car when Levi came over.

"Can I give you a hand there?" He asked. Principal Hastings seemed to be a little startled to hear someone, but seeing him, she just nodded.

"That would be very much appreciated Mr Weston." She answered. Levi picked up a box as she opened the trunk. "I trust you're settling in well?"

"I can't complain." He answered with a smile. "The kids are pretty good."

"Little monsters, all of them." She answered. "Trust me, once the novelty of your celebrity wears off you'll just be another teacher to them and then you'll have to deal with the basest parts of human nature like the rest of us."

"That's...a little more pessimistic than my world view." He told her. "Surely you can't hate it here that much."

"Who says I hate the job?" She asked him as she looked to him. "I take the basest, most animalistic and uncouth elements of society and turn them into productive citizens."

"That sounds a lot more like a prison warden than a principal." Levi commented.

"Is there really such a difference?" She asked him. Levi placed the box in the trunk, and noticed something odd.

"That's...that's a lot of offal." He stated. She just stared at him. He pointed to a container in her trunk. "That's a butcher's box, and if I'm not mistaken, that's a lot of kidney and heart and..."

"If you MUST know Mr Weston it's for pet food." She told him. He just looked a little surprised. "I have a dog, and I don't particularly like the store-bought pet food that's available. I like to know where the food I feed her comes from. I'm sure as a farmer you're no stranger to making feed."

"Right." He replied, thinking it was still a little odd. Principal Hastings just sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Is there something I can help you with? Or were you just planning on comparing notes on pet care?" She asked him. He just nodded.

"Well, I was just thinking, a lot of the students here are really talented; maybe we should take advantage of that." Levi suggested. "I was thinking of putting together a talent show..."

"Fine, whatever." She said in an off-hand way, almost more like she cared more about ending the conversation and getting on her way than she was in what he said.

"Wow, really?" He asked her. "I was thinking I could get my brother Tom to judge..."

"You're in charge and you're responsible for whatever happens." She told him. "If I see a signed permission slip for every student participating does whatever you want. I really don't care."

"Right...um...thanks Principal Hastings!" Levi stated as she went to get into her car.

"I meant what I said about those permission slips Mr Weston!" She told him. "As long as the school, and more importantly I'm not liable, the kids can go juggle chainsaws to their hearts content."

As she pulled out of the parking lot, Levi smiled and dialled his phone.

"Say, Tom, you know that idea I was floating?" He asked. "Yeah...I just got the go-ahead from Principal Hastings. Yeah...yeah, I know...just let me know when you have an opening on your schedule. Cool, thanks bro."

Back in the past, in Summer Cove Middle School, Victor got up, his ears still ringing as he tried to get his bearings. He could see Ms Lewis looking more than a little dazed and confused, but otherwise unharmed. He had been fortunate, and also fast enough to tackle her clear of the blast, meaning all it had really done is shake them up.

His heart had frozen as soon as he had heard the word 'bomb'. His dad had been killed in action, a victim of an IED attack, and so all he could think about was the fact that someone else could suffer the same fate.

Now that he was starting to come around, his confusion turned to anger. Monty had brought a bomb into a school. He had intended to unleash it on his cousin, and had almost killed Ms Lewis. He got to his feet and started to stagger outside, where he could already hear a fight going on. He was sure his cousin had to have grabbed Monty and taken him to teach him a lesson. He just hoped to get a piece of him before the cops showed up.

When he got outside, he found Ace was indeed enacting his revenge, though calling it a fight was somewhat glorifying it. Although he had no doubt that Ace would beat Monty like a drum in a fight, it didn't even look like Monty was fighting back...it didn't even look like he was CAPABLE of fighting back!

He was being held up, and thrown from one to the other as they took turns beating on him, Ace taking the lead for obvious reasons. Monty's legs were rubbery, and it looked like he couldn't even stand on his own. His face was bloodied, so much so that he wasn't sure he'd have been able to identify Monty if it wasn't for his hairdo. He whimpered pathetically and his head rolled around, like he couldn't even hold it up anymore.

Looking at the beating going on, Victor found his anger dissipating. Now, he could only see a kid that was on the point of being beaten to death! Ace grabbed Monty by the throat, squeezing hard.

"You tried to kill me you little shit! You couldn't leave well enough alone could you?" He yelled, bringing back a fist. "Now you're going to PAY!"

Victor grabbed Ace and wrenched him away from Monty, standing between them.

"Victor, what are you doing?" Ace yelled at him.

"Leave him alone Ace, he's had enough!" Victor responded.

"I'll say when he's had enough!" Ace said as he made his way towards him. Victor grabbed him and shoved him back.

"Look at him, he can't even stand up!" Victor told him.

"He could have killed you Victor! Hell, he tried to kill me!" Ace called back. "Now I'm going to make sure he doesn't ever try anything like that again!"

Victor could see the intent in Ace's eyes as he went past him and headed for Monty. Taking a deep breath, Victor grabbed his cousin, and spinning him around, stopped him the only way he could think of. He connected with a hard right hook that almost knocked Ace out cold. His cousin just stared up at him from the ground as they heard sirens and the police arrived.

"Alright kids, everyone stay right where you are!" One of the cops called out. "Jesus, look at that kid! Call an ambulance!"

The cops quickly rounded up the kids, putting them up against the wall to keep them until their parents could be called. As one of the cops called in an ambulance, Victor could only stare at Monty, hoping beyond hope that he had acted in time.


	6. Toxic Intent

The rest of the week went by relatively quietly for the Rangers. They were all still confused about the events of the Monday attack, and even more confused about the fact that they hadn't seen or heard anything from their enemies since. Now that it was Friday, they felt the usual trepidation, knowing that likely Cosmo was going to have another show, but with no real sign of what was going on, they could only wait until their enemies made their move.

They had gone to the yard outside the Shop Class to train, figuring that at least they could be ready for when the attack did come. Brody was sitting aside, watching the others as they went through their paces. He held a hand to his stomach as he felt a grumbling deep in his gut, the reason he'd had to call off his bout with Preston. Levi came over, seeing a look of discomfort on his face.

"Hey, you alright Brody?" He asked him.

"Yeah, I just...I don't know, I just don't feel right." Brody told him.

"He's been a little off-colour all week." Aiden commented, holding Sarah in a painful armlock and forcing her to the ground. The Pink Ranger struggled against him for a little while, but was left with little option but to tap out. As she did though, Aiden didn't seem to register, and held her in place. "He thought he ate something dodgy a couple of days ago, but I don't think it should have lasted this long."

"Aiden!" Sarah grunted as he held her.

"Yeah, most forms of food poisoning only last a couple of days." Preston remarked. "Maybe you're coming down with something."

"Maybe." Brody commented. Mick started to look over him, a look of concern on his face.

"Brody, maybe you should call in sick for the day." Mick suggested.

"Mick, I don't think Cosmo's going to call in sick..."

"No, but there's no point in pushing yourself too hard." Mick told him. "If you're expecting a fight, maybe resting up is the best approach."

"Yeah, you really don't look good." Hayley told him. "Um...Aiden, I think Sarah would like her arm back, preferably while it's still attached."

"What?" Aiden asked, before looking down at Sarah, who was frantically pounding the ground, trying to attract his attention. He released her and helped her up. Sarah just glared at him as she rubbed her shoulder and rolled it to make sure it was alright. "Oh, sorry, my bad."

"Yeah, that's fine." Sarah grumbled as Preston came to check on it. "I don't THINK I heard anything break or pop out."

"Yeah, you might want to ease up there." Levi said, before looking back to Brody. "Maybe some rest wouldn't be the worst idea. You're not going to be much good in a fight if you're puking."

"Not to mention inside the helmet...that would get pretty messy." Calvin chipped in. Aiden looked to him.

"I'll go tell Principal Randall you're not going to be in class today." He told him. "I'll even be able to come in and check on you. It's not like she keeps tabs on me during the day."

"No...um...I need to take him to the base." Mick told him. "I have supplies down there, not to mention cots he can rest up in. You don't need to worry Aiden; I'll keep an eye on him."

"Alright." Aiden told him. "But if he needs me, Ranger business or not, you let me in alright?"

"Sure." Mick answered.

"Hey, get well soon." Calvin told him as they left. "I promise we'll bring you some chocolate from the charity auction."

"Please don't say chocolate!" Brody begged.

"Wow, it must be bad!" Sarah chuckled. "I know I'd never be sick enough to turn down chocolate!"

With that, the Rangers all started to split off to go and get showered and changed for their first classes. As he left to get ready for work, Aiden looked towards Mick, who was helping Brody into his class and smiled.

"Well, you've confirmed one thing at least, the Ranger Base IS in the school." He remarked. "That's very interesting."

Up on the Warrior Dome, Madame Odious met with Toxitea ahead of her call to the stage. She smiled to see her.

"So, how are you feeling?" She asked. "Are you ready for your big entrance?"

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." She told her. "My poison's had a few days to work around the Red Ranger's system. He's young, strong, healthy...but shortly it'll take full effect."

"The Rangers won't know what hit them." Madame Odious stated. "By the day's end, the Power Stars will be mine, and the Rangers will be begging for mercy!"

Down in Summer Cove High, the day was wearing on, and the Rangers were in Mrs Finch's math class. Mrs Finch was running through some problems on the board, but the Rangers had other things on their mind.

"I saved up my allowance all month for this!" Calvin told them with a big grin. "I am going to get so much chocolate..."

"Not to mention the kids' charity is going to get a lot of money!" Hayley said, giving him a little look. Calvin just smiled.

"Of course they are, and that's great." Calvin stated. "Of course, the fact that I'll have enough chocolate to last the rest of the year is just a bonus!"

"The rest of the week maybe!" Sarah teased him. "I saw how you were hovering all that chocolate down when we were making it!"

"It's quality control!" He insisted.

"Calvin!" Mrs Finch called out. "Would you like to take the class?"

"Oh...um...no, sorry." Calvin told her. "Sorry Mrs Finch, you can carry on."

"Alright, but if I have to interrupt you again believe me, I will bring you up to the front of the class." She told him. "And that goes for the rest of you too! I know you're all excited about the chocolate auction, but that doesn't mean we can't focus and..."

The bell sounded and she just groaned as she waved off the class.

"Fine, lunch-time it is." She told them. "Read chapters seventeen and eighteen and do the problems on those chapters across the weekend. Other than that, enjoy the auction!"

Everyone started to gather their things when the Rangers heard their Ninja-Comms bleeping. They quickly looked around to make sure no one was watching before Sarah answered.

"What is it Mick?" Sarah asked.

"I've picked up scans of some activity in the Martin Plaza." Mick told them. "Brody and Levi are already on their way."

"Alright, we're on it!" Sarah told him. "Come on guys."

"Aw man, I hate when we have to skip lunch!" Calvin complained.

"Hey, look on the bright side!" Hayley told him. "You'll have more space for chocolate this way!"

"I knew there was a reason I loved you!" Calvin said with a smile as they ran out of the base.

By the time they got to the Plaza, they could see that most of the people had already realised the danger and had started to clear out. Levi was already on site, but there was no sign of Brody. Levi was already clearing out the huge entourage of basher bots that Madame Odious had brought with her.

"Guys, look who it is, it's Madame Odious." Hayley called out.

"Yeah, and look who's with her." Calvin commented. "It's her little teapot."

"Why would she bring that loser back?" Preston asked. "Last time she was here, she hit Brody full-on and he barely even felt it."

"Who cares? If she wants to back losers, that's entirely up to her!" Hayley replied as they took the last of the basher bots down. The Rangers all lined up, facing Odious and Toxitea down.

"Alright Odious, are you actually going to stick around this time?" Calvin asked. "Or do we have a very short episode?"

"Oh, we have every intention of making this episode memorable." Toxitea told them. "But we're just waiting on one more."

Brody appeared around the corner of a building, running towards them, but they could see that he was moving slowly. Slowly for him anyway. Brody took his place beside them.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." Brody told them. "My gut's been playing havoc all morning."

"Hmm...something upset your stomach eh?" Madame Odious asked. "Feeling a little under the weather are we?"

"Some exercise will do me the world of good!" Brody said, drawing his sword. As he levelled it her way though, he found it difficult to hold the sword steady. It started swaying around in front of him.

"Hm...something the matter Red Ranger?" Toxitea asked him. "Head feeling a little fuzzy is it? Maybe your vision's getting a little blurry?"

"What's she talking about?" Calvin asked as they looked to Brody. They could see him starting to get a little shaky on his feet.

"Brody, are you alright?" Sarah asked. Her voice sounded distant to him, and echoed around his head, like she was talking to him through water. He found it difficult to catch a breath, and bent over to make it easier. He found the ground rushing up towards him, before he face-planted right into the lawn. He de-morphed and lay on the ground, groaning and clutching at his stomach.

"BRODY!" Levi called out, kneeling by his side protectively, before looking up at Odious and Toxitea. "What have you done to him?"

"Really? You can't figure it out?" Toxitea taunted him. "I'll give you a hint. My name...is Toxitea."

"Toxitea?" Sarah asked, a look of concern crossing her face. "Your attack, it wasn't designed to injure him, you poisoned him!"

"That's why he's been feeling sick all week!" Calvin gasped.

"You're quick, I'll give you that." Madame Odious answered sarcastically. "He's tasted Toxitea's poison. Now, there's nothing you can do to save him! Unless..."

"Unless what?" Hayley asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Preston asked, grabbing his Ninja Sword. "The monsters' spells always break when we destroy them!"

"But what if it isn't a spell?" Sarah called out, grabbing Preston. " Trapsaw's trap still triggered after he was destroyed! What if Toxitea's poison is the same?"

"I think you'd better listen to your friend there." Madame Odious told him. She held up a purple bottle. "Now your friend's in the full grip of the poison, he'll be dead by sundown...unless you have the an-TEA-dote!"

"Really? Another tea pun?" Hayley responded.

"Give us that antidote or we'll..."

"You attack us and I'll smash this bottle right now!" Odious warned Calvin, holding it above her head. The Yellow Ranger sized up his options. He couldn't think of a way to make it across to them before Madame Odious could smash the bottle of antidote, destroying the only way they had to save Brody. "I'll give you the antidote, but in exchange you give me your power stars!"

The team didn't react to this; it was pretty much exactly what they expected. Madame Odious had made it clear she wanted the Power Stars, but unlike others like Galvanax or Ripcon, she really didn't seem overly interested in fighting for them.

"I see you need a while to let this sink in." She told them. "I'll just let you STEW on this for a couple of hours. Meet me in the park at four PM with your Power Stars, ready to hand them over. If you're smart and you realise quickly I'm holding all the cards, you might...LEAF with his life!"

She cackled as they both disappeared in a flash of light. The Rangers all gathered around Brody.

"Brody? Can you hear us?" Sarah asked him. "Brody!"

"Don't...don't do it!" Brody groaned. "Whatever happens, you can't give her your Power Stars!"

"Brody, I know it's a Red thing to be all stoic and brave, but we need..."

"Seriously, whatever happens...you can replace one Ranger easier than you can replace six." Brody grunted. "Promise me you won't..."

Preston waved a hand over him, at which a blue light washed over Brody. He looked to the others.

"I have no idea what I'm up against. I can't destroy the poison, but I can ease his pain a little." He told them. "We need to get him back to the base and fast!"

A little while later, the Rangers rushed Brody back to the school. Aiden was in one of the corridors, mopping the floor when he saw them coming in. He threw his mop aside as he saw Brody hanging between Hayley and Sarah, barely moving.

"What happened?" Aiden rushed out. "What have they done to him?"

"He's been poisoned!" Preston told him. "We're taking him to Mick to see what he can do to help!"

They all rushed Brody into the Shop Class, and then barged with him into the Ranger Base. No one stopped Aiden from coming with them. Mick gestured them wildly towards one of the work benches.

"Come on, let's set him up here!" Mick rushed out. He saw Aiden in the room, but he didn't say anything. He figured that given the circumstances, it was fine to have him nearby. He just looked to him. "Aiden, shut the door. We don't want just anyone to be able to see!"

Aiden closed over the door, locking it as the Rangers prepared the work bench, sweeping everything off it and laying Brody down. Even with Preston's spell, it was clear he was incredibly uncomfortable, and he didn't dare hit him with another spell in case he wasn't able to tell them what was wrong.

Brody was breathing hard, and rapidly, both very bad signs, and as Mick felt for a pulse, he found it to be erratic and spiking hard. His body was going into overdrive trying to get rid of the poison, but in doing so it was putting a huge strain on his system. He looked to the others sadly.

"His vitals are getting weaker." He told them. "His body's doing everything it can to get whatever Toxitea put into his system out, but in doing so it's pretty much burning itself out. Right now, I don't know what's going to kill him first, the poison or his body pushing itself too hard."

"Mick..."

"It's only because he's in such good shape he's lasted this long." Mick told them. "Toxitea said he has until sundown...I can't see any reason she'd lie about that. I'd estimate...we have about three hours tops."

"Not if you give them your Power Stars in exchange for the antidote!" Aiden yelled at him. The team all looked incredibly uneasy about this idea. They could all understand his reasoning, he was Aiden's brother. Any one of them would gladly give up anything and everything they had to keep him safe, but on the reverse side of things, their Power Stars were all that was keeping THEM safe. Once they gave them up, they'd be defenceless. "What are you waiting for? Get your Power Stars!"

"That's exactly what Galvanax wants Aiden!" Preston told him.

"Well right now, it's what I want too!" Aiden snapped at him. "The longer you wait the longer he suffers..."

"And once we DO give them our Power Stars, there's no guarantee that Madame Odious will keep her word." Hayley said, trying to reason with Aiden. "Once we give up the Power Stars, we'll have no way to make her give us the antidote if she decides to double-cross us."

"Not to mention we'll be defenceless." Sarah sighed. "There'd be nothing to stop Galvanax coming down and attacking the planet anyway."

"Hold on, we need to think about this." Levi told them. "Maybe...maybe we can do something clever. Madame Odious isn't the only one that can be sneaky..."

"You want to trick them? They aren't stupid!" Aiden protested. "We can't risk my brother's life like this!"

"But Aiden..."

"Hey, the way I remember it, the whole reason he's in this mess is because he took that hit for you two!" Aiden interrupted Hayley sharply, switching gears. He was trying to convince them to give in to Odious' demands, but if he couldn't do it with reason, perhaps a healthy dose of guilt could spur them into action. Both Hayley and Levi looked a little deflated by what Aiden had said. They hadn't intended any harm, but they couldn't deny that Brody had jumped in the way and taken that hit for them. The others just stared at Aiden. "You have to give them your REAL Ninja Power Stars!"

Mick interjected before the whole scene could turn ugly. The whole room looked like it was ready to explode.

"OR...we could try and make our own antidote." Mick suggested. "My chemistry and biology skills are top-notch!"

"How long will that take?" Aiden asked him.

"Longer if I have to discuss it." Mick put down flatly. Aiden just sighed and stepped aside.

"Fine, but we've got three hours." He reminded them. "If you can't get an antidote in two and a half hours, you have to give Odious your Power Stars, alright?"

"Fine." Mick told him as he started to get to work checking on Brody. "Alright, I need to try and figure out what the poison is doing. Sarah, Preston, can you hold him down?"

Hayley pulled Levi aside as they gathered around Brody, working frantically to try and save him.

"Levi, I think I have an idea." She told him.

"Great, I'll tell the others..."

"No, we can't...we need to keep this quiet." She told him. "Just...help me get the others' Power Stars."

"Wait...you're not seriously..."

"Trust me, I'll explain once we have them." Hayley told him. Levi didn't seem to like the idea of hiding things from his friends, but he'd known Hayley long enough to know that she'd never do anything to wilfully hurt them. If she did intend to hand over the Power Stars, at the very least she'd let the others know about it. He didn't like the idea, but he nodded in agreement at which they got to work, going around the room and starting to search the others' belongings to relieve them of their Power Stars. From Brody's side, where he was holding his hand, Aiden could see Hayley dipping her hand into Sarah's bag, taking out her Power Star and smiled as he saw her and Levi leaving the room.


	7. Tea Time Trade

On the Warrior Dome, Madame Odious and Toxitea were standing on the street, preening and posing for the crowd as they got back, crowing about their ultimatum to the Rangers. Cosmo was placed in a difficult position now, and he was working hard to keep the show going. While Odious' plan had been successful and she had poisoned one of the Rangers, the Red Ranger of all people, her plan had also...not exactly provided much of a show. It hadn't even provided much of a fight. When the Red Ranger collapsed, the Rangers pretty much stopped fighting right there and then, and neither Toxitea nor Odious seemed interested in continuing the battle while they were weakened.

Odious' plan was to blackmail the Rangers, to force them to choose between watching their friend and leader die slowly, and he could only hope painfully, and handing over their Power Stars. It was a good plan, a solid plan, but it didn't exactly lend itself well to an action-packed show, and the audience reaction was letting him know that.

"Time is running out for the Red Ranger!" Cosmo declared, drawing his audience's attention back to the countdown clock. If he didn't have action, then at least he could hype the drama. If he could get shots of the Red Ranger suffering on camera, then that would just be gravy, but right now, he was trying hard to keep the crowd from realising they had tuned in to see a fight and were instead watching a soap opera! "Tell me, how excruciating is his pain right now?"

"Right now, he'll be burning up like the worst fever he's ever felt!" Toxitea boasted as she cackled. "He'll be dead within the hour, but he'll be BEGGING for someone to put him out of his misery long before then!"

"The Rangers are so soft-hearted; they'll NEVER sacrifice one of their friends!" Odious chuckled. "We'll have the Power Stars in our hands before your final commercial break!"

"You heard it here folks! Madame Odious has declared victory!" Cosmo called out. "Stay tuned to witness the tension, the drama, the tears, and the triumph of our final act!"

As he turned to walk off the stage, Wrench was there to meet him.

"How are the ratings doing?" He asked.

"They're holding steady now, but they've declined by five points since the beginning of the broadcast!" Wrench told him cautiously. Cosmo just sighed.

"That's what I was afraid of. Watching this is like watching paint dry without the excitement!" He grumbled. "Where's Ripcon? Maybe throwing in a wild card can..."

"Uh...I don't know." Wrench answered. He had rescued Ripcon from his previous embarrassing battle, and left him in his lab to sleep off his hangover, but when he returned later that day, Ripcon was gone, and he had no idea where he went. He had put out feelers to try and find him to prepare him for another mission to oust Odious, but right now, whatever vermin-infested pit he was in, Wrench had no clue.

"Damn it, I was hoping to instil a little excitement into all of this!" Cosmo grumbled. "Tell me when Odious is planning to go down and meet the Rangers. Until then, I've got something far more exciting to do."

With that, he went into the nearby bathroom and locked the door. Wrench just shrugged and went back to work.

Down at the High School, Brody had been in agony most of the day. He was a little in and out, but for the most part he was still lucid. He looked over to where his friends were working hard on an antidote for him.

"Where's his latest blood sample?" Mick asked as he swirled a conical flask. "I think we're on the right track here."

Sarah handed Mick the latest blood sample to try. Brody could tell by how quiet his friends were that their time was running out, and they were trying to keep focused on the antidote. He looked over to where Aiden was watching them, constantly looking to the clock. He had an hour before the deadline, and Aiden had already made them swear that if they got to half an hour left without a working antidote, then they would go ahead with the trade. He loved his brother, and he knew his brother loved him, but for all his agony, for every cramp of his stomach, every laboured breath that felt like he'd just run a marathon and every burning, stabbing pain in every muscle he knew he had and even a few he was only just discovering, he couldn't shake in his mind, in his heart that the trade was something he couldn't allow.

He had been a slave on the Warrior Dome for ten long years, he had seen and heard the callousness and cruelty of the monsters there first-hand. He knew that to a man, every single one of them only respected and valued victory over everything else. A fair deal, a fair fight...those all took a back seat to being the one with the bragging rights. Odious in particular had a habit of turning her back on anyone, even her own clients, that no longer benefitted her. As much as he hoped that she was on the level, he didn't doubt for a moment that as soon as she had what she wanted, she would no longer care about the Rangers and what was in their interests. By giving up their Power Stars, they would leave themselves completely defenceless. There were other Rangers in the world, but this was their fight, and their responsibility. If they fought and lost, that was one thing. If they lost and strengthened their opponents because they didn't have the courage to face the tough decisions, that was another matter altogether.

Brody looked around; making sure no one was paying attention to him. He rolled off the bed, silently placing his feet on the floor. He knew his friends would never sacrifice him, no matter how much they knew that strategically it was the best decision. It was better to lose one Ranger, and be able to replace him than to lose any ability to defend themselves. He looked to his brother, wishing he could say something, to explain to him what he was about to do, but since Aiden would only try and talk him out of it, he couldn't take that chance. He sneaked out of the Shop Class, knowing that the only way to do what had to be done was to take the decision out of his friends' hands. Aiden could easily take his place. If anything, Aiden might be a better Ranger. He was sure that they would be fine with him.

He struggled to move, but he was still able to get out of the class without anyone noticing him. The halls were clear since all the kids were currently in class. He was sure his friends wouldn't care much about questions regarding where they had been or what they were doing, but it was something that they would have to deal with. He forced a smile as he felt another harsh cramp. Just like him, he was walking away to die and he was worried about how his friends would explain their absence from class.

He heard a noise as he was about to get to the door, and looked for somewhere to hide, but he was already too late. He saw Levi and Hayley coming down the stairs, carrying a case.

"Come on, we have to move quickly." Hayley said as she clutched the case tightly to her chest. "The others are bound to notice we're gone soon."

"We don't have much time." Levi reminded her. "We need to move fast and..."

"BRODY!" Hayley called out, trying to hide the case as she realised they had been seen. "What...what are you doing out here?"

"I...just had to get some air!" He grunted through his pain. This was a lie; he was looking for somewhere to hide where he'd not be found until the decision was taken from his friends' hands to save him. "What are you doing? What's in the case?"

"Well...um..." Hayley stammered.

"Uh..." Levi added, not really helping the situation. Brody was keenly aware of the timing and made the logical conclusion.

"You're going to meet Odious?" He asked.

"Brody, listen..."

"NO!" He called out. "You can't give in to her! You can't give her the Power Stars!"

"Brody, you have to calm down." Levi told him.

"I'm not worth it! You can't worry about me!" He continued, before almost collapsing. Levi was quickly over at his side, holding him up.

"We do worry about you though!" Hayley told him, before looking to Levi. The Gold Ranger just nodded as he started to walk with Brody. If they did get the antidote, they needed to get it to Brody quickly, so taking him with them made sense.

"Don't worry Brody; we've got something in mind." Levi told him. "Come on bro, I'll explain on the way."

Back in the Ranger Base, Mick and the rest of the team were becoming increasingly desperate in their attempts to find the antidote. Mick was working as quickly as he could while trying to keep a clear mind. The chemistry was incredibly complex, and he knew that even the slightest miscalculation would lead to disaster. If he failed, in the best case scenario, the antidote would simply not work. The worst case scenario was that he would inadvertently overdose Brody on something else in his attempts to burn out the poison and kill him himself.

"Hand me that yellow bottle." Mick said as he wiped his brow with his wrist. Calvin handed him the bottle he asked for, at which Mick added a drop to the latest mixture. He just sighed.

"Guys, you've been at this for hours!" Aiden complained. "Time's almost up, we need to..."

"I promised you, we won't let Brody die!" Mick assured him without looking up from his results. He just sighed. "It's good, but it still needs a stabiliser...Preston, hand me some of that green stuff!"

Preston did as he was told, while Aiden just paced in the background.

"Guys, we're almost out of time!" He protested. "You've tried, but clearly you can't..."

"Aiden, I get that you're worried, but let us try this!" Sarah interrupted him. Aiden just glared at her.

"Fine, but this is the last one alright?" He asked. "If this one doesn't work, we take the Power Stars to Odious, right?"

"OK." Sarah said reluctantly. She wasn't sure what was more difficult, to even think about sacrificing Brody, or trying to tell his brother to do it. In her heart, she would probably have taken the Power Stars to the meeting place long before now, and it was only Brody's insistence that stopped her doing it. "If this one doesn't work, we'll..."

"Guys..." Mick said as he looked into the microscope. "Sarah...come and give me a second opinion on this."

Sarah went to the bench and looked through the microscope. Of all of them, she was the one with the best chemistry skills other than Mick, and so she was the best choice to make the call. She looked to the sample, and blinked, before looking again to make sure she had seen what she thought she had.

"You've done it." Sarah said quietly, backing away from the microscope. She shrieked and threw herself at Mick, hugging him tightly. "HE'S DONE IT!"

"Way to go Mick!" Calvin chipped in as they congratulated him. He just smiled.

"I TOLD you my chemistry skills were top notch!" He exclaimed loudly as he accepted their adulation.

"Well instead of having a love-fest how about you give it to my brother?" Aiden rushed out. "Come on!"

"Uh...guys, we have a problem here!" Preston said as he turned and noticed that the workbench was empty. They all rushed over to the bench. "BRODY?"

"Guys, has anyone seen Levi or Hayley?" Sarah asked, only now noticing that their friends were gone. Calvin started rummaging around in his pockets.

"That's not all that's missing." He said as he turned out his pockets. "My Power Star is gone!"

"Why do I get the feeling that all of them going missing at once isn't a coincidence?" Sarah sighed, throwing up her hands. "They've gone to make the trade!"

"We need to catch up to them!" Calvin said as Mick poured the antidote into a bottle and put a stopper in it, handing it to the Yellow Ranger. "If we don't get to them first, it could be too late!"

With that, they ran out of the Ranger Base, hoping that they could catch up to them in time.

Meanwhile, over at the meeting place, Hayley and Levi dragged Brody, who was quite literally on his last legs, to a tree and set him in place, trying to make him as comfortable as possible. Hayley stood out in the open, and held up the case. She saw a Buzz-Cam coming out of hiding and held the case towards it, showing the Power Stars to the camera.

"We're here Odious; we've got the Power Stars!" Hayley called out. She sighed and looked defeated as she held up the case. "You win."

In a flash of light, Madame Odious and Toxitea appeared before them, looking every bit as smug as Hayley expected. They approached her slowly.

"Glad to see some of you have seen when you've been bested by a superior mind!" Odious teased her. "Show me the Power Stars!"

Hayley turned the case towards her, holding open the lid so that Madame Odious could see. She smiled as she approached, reaching out for the case. Hayley pulled the case away from her.

"This isn't the time to play games White Ranger!" Odious warned her.

"Where's the antidote?" Hayley demanded. "Show it to me!"

Madame Odious clicked her fingers, at which Toxitea handed her the bottle they had seen the first time they met. Odious held it up for Hayley to see.

"Now, the Power Stars." She told her.

"The antidote first!" Hayley demanded. Levi stood guard over Brody as Hayley cautiously negotiated their terms.

"I don't think you're in much of a position to negotiate!" Odious stated. "The case, or I smash this bottle right now!"

"HAYLEY!" Calvin called out, causing the White Ranger to look around as the rest of the team arrived. She could see the looks on their faces as they arrived.

"I can't believe it...you did take the Power Stars!" Sarah added.

"Guys, you don't understand..."

Madame Odious made her move, snatching the case from Hayley, before kicking her away. The White Ranger landed in a heap over by Brody and Levi as Madame Odious cackled, holding the case aloft.

"Thank you White Ranger!" She declared, presenting them to the nearest camera. "Look at this champ, look at what I have! I've got the Power Stars! VICTORY!"

"Hayley, what have you done?" Preston shrieked.

"I...I did what I thought was right!" She responded.

"Hayley, we made the antidote!" Sarah told her as she gave the bottle to Brody, pouring it down his throat. "If you'd told us what you were doing, we could have..."

"Guys, I'm sorry, I..."

"Alright, you've got what you want!" Levi barked as he strode forward, interrupting them all. "Now give us the antidote!"

"Oh, you mean this?" Madame Odious said, holding the bottle. She dropped it to the ground, before stomping on it, shattering the bottle. The Rangers all watched as the liquid soaked into the ground. "OOPS!"

"You MONSTER!" Hayley shrieked.

"Oh, really? You're surprised? Newsflash girl, I AM a monster!" Odious responded as she smiled evilly. "Now, thanks to you, and your friends are now helpless! Now as a bonus, I get to finish you all off while I watch your friend take his final breaths!"

"Madame Odious!" Toxitea shrieked, sounding panicked. "LOOK!"

Madame Odious looked to the case, to the Power Stars there, and noticed that they now looked different. They looked like...they were melting! More than that, they were changing colour too, from their brightly coloured patters into a kind of sickly brown. Odious tried to pick up the Yellow Power Star, but it just melted straight through her fingers with a distinctive sweet smell of cocoa. She stared to her fingers.

"CHOCOLATE?" She screeched. "They're made of CHOCOLATE?"

"Oh, Odious!" Levi said as he morphed and turned his Rockstar Blaster on her. "I have a song I've been saving just for you!"

He blasted her, punting her high into the air and dozens of feet away. The rest of the team all looked to Hayley as she presented the Power Stars to them.

"We still haven't solved that melting problem." She told them, handing them back their power stars. "I hoped I could trick her into giving us the antidote, but I had a feeling she might try something like this. I just needed these to make the moulds."

"You Rangers double-crossed me! NO ONE double-crosses Madame Odious and LIVES!" She screamed as she got back to her feet. "Toxitea, destroy them!"

With that, she disappeared.

"ODIOUS!" She wailed as she suddenly realised she was on her own. Aiden helped Brody back to his feet.

"How are you feeling bro?" He asked him.

"I'm still groggy, but I'll feel a lot better when I've smashed this tea set for good!" Brody told him. "Get to safety, I'll be fine."

Aiden nodded and ran off in the direction of the school as the team lined up in front of her.

"You had your chance to LEAF." Brody told her. "But now it's time to feel the STRAIN! Ninja SPIN!"

"More tea puns?" Sarah sighed as she activated her morpher. "I'll be glad when this is over!"


	8. Tea Time's Over

Ripcon was down on Earth, having adopted a disguise. He loathed any kind of subterfuge or secrecy. To him, anything other than directly facing an opponent, one blade to another, was the act of a coward, but with Odious outwitting him at every turn, he didn't have much choice. Taking one of his own hoodies from the merchandise stall, some jeans and an overcoat, he had left the Warrior Dome to search for Odious.

He had been following the broadcast, and he knew that she had fled the battle, but since the ship's sensors hadn't picked her up onboard, it seemed likely that she was still somewhere in the city.

He saw her appear in the middle of a street, right at the location Wrench's tracker told him she would. In her panic, she had only activated a short-distance jump to remove her from the Ranger battle. People started screaming as they saw a monster appear, but from her singed and battered exterior, it was clear that she wasn't gearing up for an attack. She looked around to make sure that she hadn't been followed, to be sure that the Rangers hadn't been able to pursue her, but as Ripcon watched, she didn't seem to key in another jump to take her back to the ship. Instead, she looked to the street signs, like she was figuring out where she was, and then turned and ran down the street.

"What?" He asked himself. "Where's she going?" It was a good question. Other than the ship, he didn't know anything about where Odious would be likely to go. Certainly here on Earth he couldn't think of anything of value for her now that the Rangers had beaten her at her own game. The only thing he could think of was that she had to have some kind of hideout, some safehouse in the city. For what purpose he didn't know, but since he didn't know about it, he could only imagine that no one else on the ship knew about it either, and that meant wherever her safehouse was, it was hiding something that likely held the key to her whole twisted agenda.

He followed her, breaking into a run as she seemed to speed up, before rounding a corner into a gated cul-de-sac. The gates were just closing as he got there, but he could see no sign of her. There were people, most of whom looked like pretty well-to-do, professional types just going about their business. Kids playing in the street without a care in the world since the gated neighbourhood meant they only had to worry about the few cars in their street and most of them looked like they were already here. People were arriving home, being greeted by their families, but most of all, he could see absolutely no signs of any panic. No one looked like they had seen an alien monster approaching.

"Where did you go Odious?" He asked as he went up to the gates, looking around, but still finding no sign of her. He raised his nose into the air and sniffed. He could still smell burnt fur, so he knew she couldn't be far, but how she managed to go into a gated community that as far as he could see only had one way in or out he had no idea. He knew that she was here, but if there was any evidence of her treachery, it was likely here, and if he just barged in then she would undoubtedly destroy it before he could bring it to Galvanax's attention. He just growled in frustration. He looked up to the sign above the gates, declaring this cul-de-sac "Haim Crescent", and committed it to memory.

"You've gotten away this time." Ripcon told her. "But the net is closing!"

Back at the site of the battle, Cosmo had seen fit to send down some basher bots to help out Toxitea, though the Rangers didn't seem to be having too many problems fending them off. Levi was locked in battle with Toxitea, fighting with an anger he couldn't quite explain. He didn't like it when people hurt his friends, but to think that Toxitea had brought Brody to moments from death, all he could think about was destroying her utterly. His instincts almost screamed at him to throw away his weapon so he could tear her apart piece by piece with his bare hands. Toxitea defended herself, grabbing his weapon and holding it in place while she kicked him hard in the side.

"Isn't this a kick?" She asked him as she finished kicking him repeatedly, before throwing him aside. Levi landed in a heap a little way off.

"Well, I guess at least the tea puns are over." He muttered as the others finished with their opponents and lined up across from her. She threw out her hands for an attack, but it just fizzled out a little way from her fingertips.

"Rangers!" She screeched as she ran for them. "You're just lucky my next batch of poison is still brewing!"

"You heard that, she's out of poison!" Brody called out as they all attacked. "Let's not give her a chance to poison anyone else!"

"Get her!" Calvin added as they all swung for her, but she threw up her hands, throwing them all off as they connected. They hit the ground, but Levi hit her with some blasts before she could take advantage.

"Stay on her!" Levi called out. "Don't give her a chance to come to the boil!"

"Really?" Sarah asked him as she and her friends all resumed the attack.

"You're looking a little steamed!" Preston stated, hitting her in the side, causing a crack to appear in her teapot 'armour'.

"Guys, can we not...?"

"You're about to get CREAMED!" Calvin chuckled as he leapt into the air with his morpher in claw mode, smashing it into her face. Sarah just face-palmed.

"Really Cal?"

"Yeah, don't MILK it!" Hayley said as she fired a few energy arrows from her Hyper Bow. Sarah just rammed her sword into the ground and stood with her arms crossed.

"How many LUMPS do you like?" Levi asked as he hit a twister attack, sending her spinning through the trees, colliding with a few of them. "I go for about a dozen!"

"Nice move Levi!" Preston complimented the Gold Ranger. Levi joined him, levelling his weapon over his shoulder.

"What can I say? I just wanted her to COOL OFF." He smirked. "Let's go ICE THIS TEA!"

"I swear I cannot wait until this is over!" Sarah grumbled as Levi and Preston stepped up.

"So how do you like your tea Levi?" Preston asked.

"I swear to God, if this is another tea pun." Sarah warned them.

"With tornadoes and lightning!" Levi answered as Preston loaded the Element Star into his sword, while he put the Storm Star into his, switching it to lightning mode.

"Tornado Attack!" Preston called out, powering up his attack as winds started to howl around his blade.

"Lightning attack!" Levi added as his blade crackled with energy. Preston spun wildly, surging towards Toxitea as Levi hit them both with lightning. She was consumed in a column of electricity and high winds that drowned out her screams as he returned to Levi's side. Levi pulled out his camera.

"Great work Preston!" He complimented him as they both posed for a selfie. "Say Cheeseburger!"

"Cheeseburger!" They both called out as Toxitea exploded. Sarah just looked to the spot where she fell and got down on her knees as if praying.

"Please be a Skullgator, please be a Skullgator!" She started to chant in rapid succession. Hayley just looked at her curiously. Sarah noticed this and sighed. "I cannot do with any more tea puns!"

Up on the Warrior Dome, Cosmo was standing in front of the audience, who were a lot more subdued than normal at this point in the show. He could tell that his fears of a show with so little action were well founded.

"So, should we give Toxitea another chance?" Cosmo asked. The audience started screaming, but this time he could tell that there was little in the way of positive opinion. While drama did sell, it didn't make for the most exciting fight. The audience quickly made their feelings known and the scale never passed the third bar. A huge buzzer sounded and a large, red X flashed up on screen. He just smiled.

"Oh well, I guess tea time is over!" He commented. "I suppose the Rangers will just have to make do with a SKULLGATOR!"

With that, he smacked the button, sending down one of his Skullgators, a sure crowd pleaser. If he couldn't do anything about the rest of the show, then at least he could give them an ending that guaranteed some excitement. At least he could pull out some middle-of-the-road ratings with that.

Down on Earth, Aiden had left the battle site as his brother instructed, but he wasn't going back to the school. He walked down an unfamiliar street, before finding what he was looking for. He looked up at a sign and smiled.

"Haim Crescent." He read aloud. He looked around to ensure he wasn't being followed, before launching himself at the gate, quickly scrambling over it and flipping nimbly to the bottom. He walked into the cul-de-sac, and made his way through, looking for his objective.

It was a nice neighbourhood, one that people paid a lot to get into, and more importantly one they did so to keep others out and keep the street quiet. Aiden took one look at the houses and the immaculate streets and knew that these were people that liked to keep to themselves...it was a perfect place for a hideout. He looked to the letter boxes and found the one with the name he was looking for. He headed for the house, and knocked on the door, only for the door to swing open.

He went inside the house and closed the door, locking it behind him. Inside, the house was just as immaculate and just as high-end as the street outside. The furniture looked fresh, new, and everything was set up with a sense of pride. It was minimalistic, with an emphasis on function rather than clutter, suggesting that whoever owned the house had a deep sense of order that was more vital to them than flamboyant excess.

He heard a sound coming from a door and went towards it, opening it and finding a stairwell down into a basement. He turned on a light, and started to make his way down into the basement. When he got down there, he found mostly what anyone would expect to find in a basement. Boxes, chests, assorted storage items...the one thing that was most definitely out of place was a woman in the corner, chained to the wall.

She was dressed in running pants and a t-shirt that were covered in grime that looked like she had been here for weeks. Her matted, unwashed hair suggested the same. She was barefoot, and she had a length of chain wrapped around her ankles, binding them together with very little room for movement, and padlocked shut. Her wrists were similarly bound, but there was also a length of chain running to a bracket in the wall that was bolted in place. There were a couple of buckets next to her, and even from this distance, the smell could clue him in as to their purpose. She rushed towards him until the chains went taught, snapping her back.

"Oh thank God someone came!" She rushed out, the desperation obvious in her voice. Tears were streaming down her face as she looked up at him. "Please, she's crazy; she's kept me here for weeks! She's sick! You wouldn't believe the things she's done to me! I was convinced I'd die down here! Please, you have to..."

"I'm sorry; you seem to misunderstand why I'm here." Aiden said as he approached her. He swept the hair from her face, looking into her eyes. "It's not you I'm here to see Principal Hastings."

"I'm sorry to hear that." He heard a voice say as someone stepped out of the shadows. It was Principal Hastings, looking a lot more like people were used to seeing her. She shifted form as her holographic disguise faded, revealing her to be Madame Odious.

"Now THAT'S who I'm here to see!" Aiden told the real Principal Hastings. She just broke down and sobbed as she saw her vain hopes of a rescue fading away before her eyes.

"Please, quieten down while the adults are talking or I'll leave it ANOTHER three days before I empty your buckets!" Madame Odious warned her. Principal Hastings just sniffed and nodded her head in understanding, shuffling back into the corner onto her blanket in a defeated manner. "Good. Now, how is the new job?"

"Oh, it's fine." Aiden told her. "It keeps me nice and close to the Rangers. They've now shown me where their base is. Now all I need is a little time to find out where they keep the Ninja Steel."

"Excellent!" She complimented him. "Toxitea's failure did bring one benefit. The Rangers now trust you completely!"

"Rangers?" Principal Hastings whimpered. "You...you think the Rangers are in my school?"

"We KNOW the Rangers are in your school! Why else do you think I'd take your place?" Madame Odious told her. "And I think you meant to say...MY school! Just for that, you can say goodbye to your meals for the next two days!"

She turned her attention back to Aiden.

"The Rangers now trust you completely! It'll only be a matter of time before they show you where they hide the Ninja Steel." She taunted him. Aiden smiled.

"And that will be their ultimate downfall!" Aiden answered with a laugh.

Back at the school, the Rangers had gotten back after disposing of the Skullgator to find the chocolate auction well underway. Kids had been brought in from all around the city to enjoy the festivities. The students had been taking it in turns all week to prepare chocolate treats for sale, with simple items being available in large quantities for simple purchases, while larger and more complex sculptures were being kept for auction all to raise money for play parks and youth centres for the kids of Summer Cove.

The kids weren't the only ones having a good time. With pocketfuls of cash the students were buying back much of the chocolate they had been making all week and filling collection tins to overflowing.

"Man I love chocolate!" Brody said as he wolfed down the last pieces of an egg the size of a rugby ball. The others just stared at him. "Don't judge me; I've hardly eaten all week thanks to that poison!"

"Oh man, this is so good!" Sarah gushed as she tried some. Hayley just sighed.

"I just wish some of our sculptures made it into the auction." She said regretfully. "We just never figured out the melting problem."

"Hey, you can't be good at everything." Levi told them. "Singing is one thing, but ask me to draw and you'll see what a crime against art looks like!"

"Alright students, now is the moment you've all been waiting for, the contest for the best sculpture!" Mrs Finch announced. "In third place, we have Melanie with her unicorn!"

There was applause as one of the students came up to collect a medal. She smiled and waved as a few pictures were taken of her with her sculpture which would soon go to whoever had bid on it.

"In second place, Ryan with his pyramid!" She announced. Another student came up to collect his medal and have his picture taken as the students applauded. Mrs Finch just looked to the crow.

"Now, the one you've all been waiting for, the first place goes to..." She paused for effect, while the students drummed their feet and hands to create the drum roll. "VICTOR VINCENT!"

"Victor?" Sarah asked. "I...I thought he WAS his sculpture!"

"Yeah, I thought he had to break out of his sculpture!" Levi agreed. Victor came up onto the stage to applause as Mrs Finch grabbed a cloth.

"After an early setback, Victor stayed after school every day this week to make this." Mrs Finch told them, whipping off the cloth. The team all stared in disbelief as they saw what was under the cloth.

"In tribute to the heroes of this city, I recreated the Power Rangers in delicious milk chocolate!" Victor declared proudly as he pointed to his sculpture.

"Wow...that's um..."

"That's some tribute!" Brody said, smiling.

"You do know that means someone is going to eat us right?" Calvin asked.

"I don't know. I kind of like it." Sarah remarked as she thought about it and smiled. "Nice going Victor!"

"Now, as first place winner, Victor wins five hundred dollars and this..."

"No need for the money." Victor told Mrs Finch. "This whole day is for charity, consider it a donation."

The students applauded the gesture, while Victor looked to the table.

"Now for me, all that matters is this." He said, grabbing a trophy by the handles. "This makes number..."

"Victor, no!" Mrs Finch called out, but it was too late. The handles snapped off, and the trophy fell to the ground, shattering into a thousand pieces. Victor just stared at it.

"That...that was my fiftieth..."

"Um...the awards were all chocolate." Melanie, the third-place winner told him, unwrapping the foil on her medal and taking a bite.

"My trophy!" Victor gasped, sinking to his knees. "I thought...my fiftieth trophy!"

"Well, look on the bright side. The new janitor keeps these floors clean enough to eat off of." Sarah said, picking up a piece of chocolate and putting it in Victor's mouth, before patting him on the back. "Isn't that much better than any trophy?"

With that, everyone went back to the auction with only one thought in mind. There was only one thing better than all the chocolate they could eat, and that was when every penny they spent on it went to charity meaning every bite was a hundred percent guilt free!


	9. A Ratings Match

Up on the Warrior Dome, there was a little bit of tension in the air. While Galaxy Warriors was still the highest rated show in any network by a significant margin, the previous two weeks in a row, their shows had been an embarrassment. Between Trapsaw's embarrassingly incompetent showing and Toxitea's poisoning plot being far from action-packed, the ratings had taken a hit, and Cosmo was NOT happy!

Galvanax as usual was impatient, since he still didn't have the Ninja Power Stars, the Prism, or the Ninja Steel. Cosmo wasn't happy about the fact that his numbers were down, meaning that it was possible soon his bottom line was going to take a hit.

The Senior Staff were all called into a mandatory meeting in Cosmo's office, and the mood was decidedly less than jovial. The meeting began with a rundown of the week-to-week numbers from Cosmo, which he read with all the enthusiasm of a casualty list. He glared at all of them from behind his desk as he tented his fingers.

"We have a problem here, a REAL problem!" He stated. "Between you, I am supposed to have some of the greatest talent scouts and creative minds available, and yet in only two weeks you've managed to tank my ratings by almost fifteen percent!"

"Not to mention you all continue to fail to bring me the Power Stars!" Galvanax screamed at them all. Wrench, Ripcon and Odious all hung their heads as they cowered away from him. "The Rangers are growing in popularity every day! There are fans calling for them to take my title! Do I really need to take care of this myself?"

"Champ, let's not get too hasty!" Cosmo told him. "We're still building for that, I'm thinking of a season finale. Still, I am curious to know...is all of this just bad luck, or are there really some of you working against us?"

"Sir..." Wrench started to say, only for Galvanax to silence him with a growl.

"A CHILD could have seen that Trapsaw was no match for the Rangers!" He yelled at Ripcon. "Not to mention your investigation into the Gold Ranger has produced startlingly little."

"I have noticed that too." Galvanax growled. "It almost makes me wonder if you have been properly...motivated."

"I have ALWAYS been loyal to you!" Ripcon screamed at him. He glanced over at Odious, who he noticed was saying very little, happy instead to just let the suspicion fall on him. "But recently...my investigation has taken a very productive turn. I am sure the traitor will be unmasked soon!"

"Well, since you're so confident that you have that covered, you won't mind taking on a little extra responsibility then will you?" Cosmo asked him.

"Anything for my Champ." Ripcon said, sitting forward. Cosmo just smiled and leaned back in his chair.

"The Champ and I discussed it before this meeting, and we believe that we need something a little extra special this time around." Cosmo told him.

"I need a warrior I know is strong, one whose strength I can attest to!" Galvanax said in his gravelly voice.

"Not to mention I could use a special draw to win back some of that audience you and Odious have managed to bore away." Cosmo told him. "Congratulations Ripcon, you're behind the eight ball."

"What?" Ripcon asked.

"You've told us how much you want to get to the bottom of this Gold Ranger mystery, and you also told us how much you want to finish the Red Ranger once and for all. Well, now's your chance." Cosmo told him abruptly. "You've got your rubber match. Wrench, start getting to work on the promotional broadcasts! Ripcon Vs. Red Ranger, the final act!"

"Thank you!" Ripcon rushed out gleefully. He knew that this wasn't at all convenient timing for him. He already had a lot on his plate keeping track of Odious' actions, but this served him well. It would easily prove that he was loyal if he destroyed the Red Ranger, not to mention he would finally get to end a loathing that had been building between them for a decade. He got up and bowed. "I swear, you will not regret this!"

As they all started to leave, Cosmo cleared his throat.

"Wrench, could I speak to you for a moment?" He asked. Wrench held back as the others left, and the door closed behind him.

"You have some ideas for the promotional..."

"Please, this grudge match has promoted itself, a child could handle it." Cosmo told him. "I was just wondering if there was anything else you could tell me?"

"T...t...tell you?" Wrench stammered nervously. Cosmo just looked to him. He did know more about the situation with the others than he had told Cosmo. He knew that the lab had belonged to Odious, and that she was the one that brought the Gold Ranger on board, though she had threatened him if he revealed that information, and now it was so late in the day to reveal that information, he was bound to look complicit even if he did tell the truth. Ripcon...he had sicced Ripcon on Odious in an effort to try and rid himself of Odious, and all he had to show for it was Ripcon's embarrassing showing against the Rangers when he was drunk.

Wrench knew his position on the ship was a lot better than anything he could ever have had serving under Wrench, and a lot of that was down to Cosmo and the faith he put in him. He had advanced quickly, and had a good life on the ship, all of which could disappear just as quickly if Cosmo ever turned on him. He eventually shook his head. He wanted to be loyal to Cosmo, but was worried that by now he would look just as guilty as the others if he admitted his part in it all. Cosmo smiled.

"Very well. Bring me a draft of your proposal by the end of the day." Cosmo said cheerfully, patting him on the shoulder. "Oh, and keep an eye on Ripcon would you? We all know he has a habit of being a little spontaneous."

"S...s...spontaneous?" Wrench stammered again. Cosmo just smiled and nodded.

"Of course! He's impatient! Don't want him starting the fight until the cameras are rolling do we?" Cosmo told him. "Remember, no one dies off camera on my show!"

Down on the Romero Farm, Brody was sitting at the kitchen table while Aiden worked on the dinner. The farm was slowly starting to take shape and once more look like a home. With Aiden working at the school and Brody at school during the days, they didn't have a lot of time to work on the farm but they did make the best of it when they did.

Even though he was working through some chemistry homework that looked a lot more like it was written in Sanskrit and he was certain he'd be getting half of it wrong and need Sarah to show him his mistakes before he handed it in tomorrow, he couldn't help being happy. His brother Aiden was back, he was back at home, and the farm was close to being just as it once was.

"Alright, books away, it's dinner time!" Aiden said as he came in with a couple of plates, putting one down in front of Brody, and taking one himself. Brody just smiled.

"Raman Noodles...again!" He said as he looked to the dish. Aiden just shrugged.

"What?" He asked.

"Don't think I'm complaining or anything, but I think five days in a row is kind of a stretch." Brody told him.

"You don't like it, you make dinner." Aiden teased him, twirling his fork and shoving in a mouthful. "Only...don't set the curtains on fire like you did when you tried to make toasted bagels."

"Let's face it; dad was always the chef in this family." Brody answered. "One of these days, one of us is really going to have to learn how to cook."

"Oh, talking of dad, you just reminded me!" Aiden told him, shoving more noodles into his mouth and heading out the door. "Wait right there!"

Brody twirled some noodles onto his fork and stared at them. He loved noodles as much as the next guy, but it was true that neither of them had really taken much time to learn basic domestic skills. Brody had never worked in the kitchens at the Warrior Dome, he just got handed a meal whenever they felt like the slaves were getting too weak to work. Aiden, from what little he had gathered, had been on the streets until recently. He didn't imagine he got much in the way of an opportunity to learn to cook. He probably just took meals whenever he had the opportunity.

"I guess I need to start paying more attention in home ec." Brody sighed as he started eating. Just then, he heard something, it was the strumming of a guitar, and a very familiar song starting to play. Aiden came into the room, playing the guitar, another strapped across his back.

"I'm with you,  
So far from home I'm still with you,  
A family bond that can't break!"

Brody got up, his eyes wide as he heard the song. Their dad had sang it for them when they were kids. Shortly after their mom had passed, he had wanted to assure the young boys that although their mother was no longer around, that their family was still together.

"I choose a star,  
Its light leads me home to be without,  
A family bond that can't break!" Brody sang in reply.

"Altogether, we are one!" The brothers sang together. "Wow, that was..."

"I found these when I was looking for some tools earlier!" Aiden told him, smiling. "We'll need to clean them up a little, but I was thinking that we could sing that song for the talent show Levi's putting on."

"I...I don't know..."

"Oh come on, it was a great song! And I know my little brother gets stage fright!" Aiden told him.

"Yeah, but isn't that against the rules or something?" Brody asked him. "You know, since you're working at the school."

"Not as a teacher I'm not." He reminded him. "I have literally nothing to do with the show other than stacking up the chairs and sweeping the floors afterwards. I can't affect the outcome. Why would they care if I took part?"

"I guess it would be nice to sing it again." Brody answered with a smile. "I'm sure dad would get a kick out of it too."

"Yeah...yeah, that sounds great!" Brody agreed. "So, want to go through the song again to make sure we have it down?"

"Uh...maybe later." Aiden told him as he heard a bleeping sound. Brody just furrowed his brows. "That's probably Principal Hastings..."

"When did you get a cell phone?" Brody asked.

"When I signed on." Aiden told him. "I swear, it's probably just her reminding me of the repairs that need done tomorrow, as if I don't already know! I'll be quick!"

As he left the room, Brody just sat back down to the plate, humming the song. It was a long time since he'd heard anyone else sing it, but he had kept it in his mind and he heard it any time things got tough, to remind him that somewhere out there, his family was still there and one day he'd be back together with them. He twirled more noodles onto his fork.

"Five days of the same thing." Brody chuckled. "I guess there are worse things."

In another part of town, 'Principal Hastings', in truth Madame Odious in disguise, put some offal and other things from her fridge into a blender and started it up, while waiting for Aiden to answer his communicator or call her back. She understood that now he was living with Brody, it wouldn't necessarily be convenient for him to answer immediately as soon as she called. She poured the vile looking 'smoothie' into a plastic cup and carried it downstairs.

There, the real Principal Hastings was sitting, signing some papers and going over some paperwork. While Odious for the most part could fool people at the school she was who she said she was, there were certain tasks she needed Principal Hastings to perform, documents the education department needed, forms that needed signed, things of that nature. It was the only reason she was still alive. Odious arrived, taking the forms from her and giving them a cursory glance.

"Well, it seems you're doing a fine job. It looks like you eat today." She stated, handing her the disgusting smoothie. Principal Hastings snatched it with desperation and guzzled it, forcing it down despite her body's instinct to gag. She knew she wouldn't get anything else; she had been forcing this disgusting 'meal' down now whenever Odious saw fit to feed her for weeks. Odious' communicator bleeped, indicating that Aiden could now speak. "Excuse me, I need to take this."

She moved away from the pathetic figure of the woman whose identity, whose life she had stolen to get close to the Rangers and to manipulate their lives in ways that they had no idea she was capable of. She answered her communicator.

"What is it?" Aiden asked her.

"Cosmo held a meeting today. This week, he's sending Ripcon to battle the Rangers."

"Ricpon?" He asked. This was big news indeed. Whether it was good or bad news remained to be seen. It could be good news since the Rangers had the opportunity to rid them of one of the few it seemed didn't know of their treachery on the ship. Of course, Ripcon was a powerful warrior, and the one thing they couldn't discount was the possibility he could actually win. If he did, he was bound to hand the Power Stars and the Ninja Steel straight to Galvanax, and doing that would make his position and his word on the ship nigh-near untouchable.

"Don't panic." She told him. "I already have a plan. If you do exactly as I say, then by the time this broadcast is done, we could have the Ninja Steel, the Power Stars, and be shot of Ripcon once and for all."

"I like the sound of that." Aiden said with a smile. "What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to call Ripcon." She told him. "I want you to offer to deliver the Ninja Steel to him."

"You want me to do what?" Aiden asked. "I think I'm going to need to hear more of this plan!"

Up on the Warrior Dome, Ripcon was in his chambers, preparing for the fight of his life. Many warriors prepared for a battle, but to Ripcon, there was a whole different level to it all. Battle to him wasn't just about winning and losing; it wasn't even just about life and death. To his kind, and to those who were trained like him, there was no shame in losing or dying in battle so long as one fought bravely, honourably and to the best of their abilities. The only thing that was seen as being almost as good as a glorious and hard-fought victory was a good death at the hands of a superior opponent that had won fair and square.

He had incense burners hanging all around his chambers, many with herbal concoctions that had spiritual significance, others...that provided chemical benefits to his body when inhaled. He sat, meditating as he drew his sword along a whetting stone, sharpening it for the battle ahead. For him, this was more important than any title or any mere trophy, this...this was going to be a work of art, where he put down his hated Rat Bait once and for all!

His eyes snapped open as he heard a Data-Comm sounding. He looked around, wondering who would dare to enter his chambers while he was preparing, but finding that he was alone. It took him a moment to realise it was his OWN Data-Comm that was signalling him. He activated it.

"This better be good!" Ripcon warned the person on the other end. He only had limited supplies for his incense burners and he didn't want to waste any of his preparation time.

"It is." He heard an electronically distorted voice on the other end say. "Meet me at the old tuna cannery on east dock in twenty minutes."

"What? Who is this?" He demanded.

"I'm the best chance you have of getting everything you want!" The voice told him. "Twenty minutes, if you're not there, I'm taking what I know and going elsewhere. Your decision!"

The line went dead, and Ripcon just stared at the Data-Comm. He was no lackey to be simply ordered around, to be sent to fetch and run and carry like a common slave.

He also knew that the offer was vague. The voice hadn't even told him what was on offer. They hadn't mentioned HOW they were going to help him or with what. It was possible it was just a prank, or a lure into a trap.

On the other hand, his search, while it was gaining ground, it was doing so slowly. If someone that had an in with Odious was willing to turn, then perhaps it was only natural that they would be cautious.

He made his decision and got up, sheathing his sword, before making his way to the teleporter. One way or another, he'd find out who this informant was. Best case scenario, he would finally have everything he needed on Odious. At worst, if it was a prank, then there would just be one more monster that learned the hard way what it meant to cross Ripcon!


	10. The Biggest Show

Ripcon arrived at the cannery late at night. It had shut down quite some time ago, and it looked like the informant had chosen this spot specifically because it was unlikely no one would ever come here. They would never be interrupted, meaning if the informant did genuinely have anything, they could discuss it freely without any danger of being interrupted.

He stopped to sniff the air...an unfortunate choice. Having been a tuna cannery, even one that had been abandoned some time ago, it still had a distinctive stench that was overpowering. He wouldn't be able to tell if he was alone or if there was an army waiting for him. The darkness made it hard to see, and so he was well aware he could be walking into an ambush. He had always factored that into his decision to go. He closed the door behind him and moved cautiously, keeping to the light. While it would allow any attacker to see him easily, he hoped it would give him at least some warning if someone was coming for him.

"Hmm. Who would want to meet me here?" He asked aloud, playing up to the role of the dutiful prey, while keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword. He hoped if he looked the part of the unsuspecting victim then he could trigger some overconfidence in any intended ambush.

"Ripcon!" He heard, causing him to whip around, looking to locate the voice. Whoever called him knew the building echoed making it hard to locate a noise, and they were playing games with him. It was a dangerous move considering Ripcon's lack of patience.

He turned another direction as a stack of cans fell down, but he didn't see anyone. He started to make his way over, sticking to the light, before he saw someone stepping out into the light to meet him. He took a moment to recognise him, but when he did, he immediately went for his sword.

"You? You're the Red Rangers's brother!" He called out, levelling a katana his way. "Why did you summon me?"

"Why do you think?" He asked him.

"You ninjas are always up to some trick or other." He commented, looking around. "I wouldn't put it past you to have the Rangers here ready to..."

"We're alone." Aiden told him. "But just so you know, if I wanted I could have an army hiding here and you wouldn't know about it until it was too late."

"Why do you think I have this?" Ripcon asked, raising his sword. Aiden just smirked.

"That won't be necessary." Aiden told him. "I want to destroy the Rangers."

"What?" Ripcon asked. Now he really was confused. He didn't claim to care much about humans, but from what he had seen of them thus far, they were loyal to family and friends. The idea that Aiden, who had only just returned, would want to destroy the only people protecting his planet seemed a little dubious to him. He checked around to see if he could see anything. "Why would you do that?"

"I have my reasons." Aiden told him. Ripcon just tightened his grip on his sword.

"If you expect me to believe you, then..."

"I've spent ten years on the streets because of this." Aiden told him. "All you care about are the Power Stars and the Ninja Steel. The way I see it, once you have those, there's nothing of value here on Earth, right?"

"Right." Ripcon stated. "So you would really betray...?"

"Betray?" Aiden sneered. "Ten years I've been fending off sickos and stealing what I had to just to survive. Where were the ninjas to help me? The way I see it, they turned their backs on me."

"So what are you offering?" Ripcon asked him, sheathing his sword, but keeping his hand on the hilt.

"They already trust me, they've already shown me where their base is, but the Ninja Steel is still hidden." Aiden told him. "I need you to create a distraction, to keep the Rangers busy while I search for it. Once I find it, you can personally deliver the Ninja Steel to Galvanax. In return, once you have what you want, you all leave Earth forever."

"Why would you just give...?"

"My father was obsessed with the Ninja Nexus Prism. He was selfish keeping it here when it brought dangers like you to this world." Aiden interrupted him. "That's what cost him his life, and now threatens billions more. You get what you want, you leave, and the war ends without a single drop more blood being spilled than is necessary."

"What about the blood of the Rangers?" Ripcon asked him. Aiden smiled.

"They didn't do me any favours, and they continue to put the world at risk just so they can play hero. If that's how they want to throw away their lives, who am I to stop them?" Aiden answered. "I just want everything to do with that Nexus Prism gone as far from Earth as humanly possible. It's already taken enough from me!"

Ripcon thought a lot about what Aiden had said. He could sense bitterness in his words, and there was a logic to what he was saying. There wasn't really much of interest on Earth for Galvanax and Cosmo. They really didn't care what state they left the Earth in once they had the Prism, the Power Stars and the Ninja Steel, so in a lot of ways, Aiden just giving those to him did make a certain amount of sense. He knew that trickery was a ninja trait, and he was well aware of the fact that if Brody had been taught by his father, then Aiden probably was as well. The only question was, was his bitterness and self-preservation instinct really strong enough to cause him to betray all those that had believed in him? He looked back to him as he made a decision.

"It's a deal." He told him. "But you can't tell anyone, there are traitors and spies everywhere!"

As he left, Aiden just started laughing.

"No shit Sherlock." He chuckled.

"Traitors? I'm hurt, I think he was talking about me!" Madame Odious said as she stepped out of the shadows, where she had been overseeing the whole deal. Aiden just looked to her.

"Fooling him was almost too easy." Aiden responded. "He hates you so much, he can't see when an offer is too good to be true."

The following morning, Sarah was at the school early with Preston, helping him get ready for the talent show. Levi had suggested it as a way for students who didn't necessarily get the chance to shine in normal school activities to show what they could do and get the spotlight for once. Sarah had been an assistant of sorts to him for a while now, and was only too happy to help him with tricks, but this would be her first time in a full show in front of an audience, and she wanted to make sure she was up to the task. Most importantly, she wanted to make sure she looked the part.

"Oh come on, just a peek?" Preston asked.

"No, I'm telling you Preston, you'll see my dress when the show starts!" Sarah replied with a smile. "You wear a pretty dope suit, I can't exactly be your glamorous assistant in jeans and a t-shirt can I?"

"You could be my glamorous assistant wearing anything." Preston answered.

"Awww Preston!" She gushed, stroking his cheek gently with her hand. "Flattery will get you nowhere, you'll just have to wait!"

"Well...what if I have to adapt my tricks?" He asked her.

"Excuse me?" She asked him.

"You practiced the tricks in your normal clothes." He told her. "What if...um...some stray material gets caught in the handcuffs on the escape trick? Or if there isn't enough clearance for..."

"Preston, I know all your tricks, and I've made sure that the outfit will work with all of them." She assured him.

"But what if..."

"Believe me Preston, when some of your tricks involve fire, explosives and even a chainsaw, I'm taking no chances either." She assured him.

"Well, in the meantime, how about I show you something?" He asked her.

"You want to do a new trick? On the DAY of the show?" She asked him. "Preston are you...?"

"Trust me, you'll like this!" He told her. "Close your eyes."

"How can you show me something if I close my eyes?" She teased him. She saw the look on his face and closed her eyes. She sat and waited as she felt something warm and furry being placed into her hands.

"OK now, open them." He told her. Sarah opened her eyes, finding a white rabbit, with a pink ribbon tied around its neck in her hands.

"Um...that's not much of a trick." She told him. "And as much as I love seeing Aloha Mora, I've seen your rabbit a few times."

"Well, that is NOT Aloha Mora." He said with a smile. "It's not my rabbit, it's yours."

"Wait...what?" She asked. "Mine?"

"I...know you've been through quite a bit lately with your dad in the hospital and everything." He said awkwardly. "And I remembered how much you liked the other rabbits we gave away so one of the times I was at your place rehearsing, I got talking to your mom and she said it would be OK, if you got one."

"This...this is mine!" Sarah rushed out for clarification. "Is this like when...?"

"It is one of the magic rabbits, but no it's not a new one." Preston assured her. "I went to the store and bought her. The stuff for keeping her will be in your room when you go home."

"This...this is mine?" She screeched. "Oh Preston, she's adorable! Thank you!"

She kissed his cheek and wrapped an arm around his neck, before releasing him and beginning to fuss over her new rabbit.

"Oh my God, look at her nose, and her little whiskers, she's so cute!" She gushed as she cuddled the rabbit. "Oh thank you Preston! I'm...I'm going to go put her somewhere safe until after the show!"

She kissed him again and skipped away cheerfully. Preston stared after her, at which he heard someone clearing their throat. He looked around to see Calvin and Levi standing, with a sandwich board that was painted to advertise the talent show.

"Wow, that was so smooth Presto." Calvin said with a smile on his face. "I mean really, nice."

"Yeah, she's been through a lot lately." Preston told them. "I just...thought that would be a really nice thing to do."

"Yeah, such a nice thing to do." Calvin said as he looked to Levi. "Say Levi, do you know any other guys that gave a pet to a girl he wasn't dating?"

"Nope, only them and guys that WANT to be dating those girls." Levi responded with a knowing smirk. Preston just looked to both of them.

"Me and Sarah? Really?" Preston asked them. "You think I want...? You guys have been watching way too much TV or reading too many books or something."

"Oh come on, we've all seen the way you two are together!" Calvin said as he reached over and shoved him. "All those times you go off just the two of you, the way you keep letting her take you on hoverboard rides even though anyone with eyes can see you're terrified any time you do."

"Seriously, guys..."

"Dude, the only reason you're even a Ranger is because you followed her!" Calvin reminded him.

"She also does spend a lot of time with you practicing those tricks." Levi continued with the teasing.

"She's my assistant!" Preston answered. "You guys are just crazy."

"Oh, so you're telling us you don't think she's hot?" Calvin asked him.

"Oh come on, how can I possibly answer that?" Preston protested.

"You don't spend like eighty percent of your free time with her laughing?" Levi asked him.

"Oh, and I suppose he doesn't think she's smart or funny or..."

"Guys...all of that's true, but seriously...I just gave her a rabbit!" Preston protested. Levi and Calvin just looked to each other, before nodding knowingly. "Guys, seriously..."

"Seriously Preston, if you are just friends, that's absolutely cool." Levi answered. "But in my experience, if you do want to go out with a girl, your odds of going out on a date with her go up by about a hundred percent if you actually ask her."

They both picked up the sandwich board and headed outside.

"Guys, seriously, she's just a friend!" Preston called after them. He picked up his stuff and headed down the hall to put his things away in his locker while he went for a snack. His friends were crazy, they were looking for stuff that wasn't there. Sure, he liked Sarah and he enjoyed hanging around with her but that was all it was, wasn't it?

Outside the school, Calvin and Levi set down the sandwich board advertising the talent show as Aiden and Brody arrived, sprinting up from the parking lot. They were both carrying guitars, and were both grinning brightly.

"Nice." Calvin said as he set up the sandwich board, looking to the Romero Brothers as they arrived. He rested his elbow on it as they got to the top of the stairs.

"You've got some tough competition." Levi commented as he saw them with their guitars. "Presto Chango is making an appearance with his glamorous assistant."

"Not to mention Hayley's doing some tricks with Kody." Calvin informed them. "You guys will not believe the stuff she's been practicing lately."

"Isn't a dog training act kind of a cheat when you can actually talk to the dog?" Levi asked. Calvin just furrowed his brows.

"She did start before she got her power, but...that is an interesting question." Calvin commented. "Oh, but there's no way I'M asking her, I know when to keep my mouth shut."

"How about you Levi?" Brody asked. He just shrugged.

"Nah, I'm not taking part. It's against the rules." He told them.

"Because you're a professional?" Calvin asked him.

"Strangely no, it'd be fine if I was just a professional singer." Levi told them. "But teachers aren't allowed. It'd be considered unfair since Mrs Finch and Principal Hastings are judging."

"So are you the third chair?" Brody asked. "Are you Simon Cowell?"

"Oh hell no." Levi remarked. "After all the years I spent having recording studios telling me I sucked, I can't do that to anyone else. Tom's got a tough streak though, so I've asked him to sit in as third chair. I'll just have to have fun in the audience."

"Well I guess we'll have to provide the musical act for the evening then, right bro?" Aiden asked with a smile. Brody looked elated as he turned to explain to Calvin and Levi.

"We're singing a song my dad wrote for us when we were kids." Brody explained to them, with the kind of carefree smile that they could hardly remember ever seeing from him before. "We were young, mom had just died, and he...he wrote this song that he would sing for us any time we were feeling down or any time we thought about her to remind us that no matter what happened or where we ended up we were always going to be family."

"Wow, that's pretty amazing." Levi commented. "Brody was really coming along in class, I look forward to hearing it."

"Well, we better get going bro. We need to practice." Brody told him with a smile. "We really want to make dad proud!"


	11. The War to Settle the Score

Up on the Warrior Dome, The production staff were working in the wings, preparing for the broadcast. After two straight weeks of somewhat questionable monsters, Cosmo had gone out of his way to build up the latest broadcast in the hopes of tipping the scales back firmly in his favour. Vignettes had aired all week, articles had been posted in multiple sources, and he had set the rumour mill alight with the prospect of Ripcon's official return to the arena.

Wrench oversaw work behind the scenes, making sure everything was perfect. Cosmo had declared that no expense was to be spared for the broadcast. Lighting, effects, music, pyro, even an army of Basher Bots were commissioned to ensure that the main event, Ripcon and the Red Ranger, would be the only thing anyone was talking about.

"How are they looking out there?" Cosmo asked as he took up position just off the curtain. Wrench looked out for him, seeing the crowd working themselves into a frenzy. They all knew what they were there to see, and they were all frothing at the mouth to see the action start. The Rangers had built up quite a following in the crowd, and about half the audience were brandishing signs and merchandise for the Red Ranger.

The other half of the crowd were die-hard Ripcon fans, itching to see him return after a long absence from the arena. The two sides were very vocal, and the division was beginning to move from mere heckling and jostling to screams and outright shoving matches. It looked almost like there was going to be a battle right there in the stands!

"They're really worked up!" Wrench told him, sounding worried. "If we don't start soon, we'll have bloodshed before the show even starts!"

"Perfect!" Cosmo said with an evil smile. "Play me out boys!"

Cosmo strode out onto the stage, his cane in hand, commanding the audience's attention like a deity descending from on high to deliver a message. The music blared as the audience cheered, clapped their hands and stomped their feet, waving signs and declaring their unwavering love for the show and the mastermind behind it. Cosmo let them get it out of their system, basking in his adulation, until he managed to silence the entire audience by simply placing a finger to his lips. Such was his presence and showmanship that he could command an audience from the point of a riot to silence at will. The hush came down, and Cosmo began.

"Tonight, we have a very special night!" He began, his voice carrying from the stage right throughout the studio effortlessly. "Tonight, we end one of the greatest rivalries you have ever seen. Tonight, we finally answer who is the greatest? Tonight, is the night, when two enter, and one leaves…This is…RIPCON VS. RED RANGER, THE WAR TO SETTLE THE SCORE!"

The crowd erupted once more, like their lives had no meaning outside of this one moment. Cosmo settled them down again with a gesture, before a video package played.

"This is one of the great rivalries, a hatred so deep, that it cannot be contained by merely one meeting!" Cosmo declared, gesturing to the screen behind them. "In their first encounter, when Badpipes was struggling, Ripcon and the Red Ranger stole the show with the ferocity of their battle. The Red Ranger was lucky to leave with his life as his friends interrupted a massacre!"

He paced the stage as he recounted the grudge between the two. Although they all knew the story, he was there to hype it into something special.

"When next they met, the result was a stalemate, with neither gaining the decisive victory they both longed for, then, in their most recent encounter, it was the Red Ranger that took a piece of Ripcon, literally, taking his horn!" Cosmo reminded them all as he built it up. "Now, tonight, in the event you've all been waiting for, please welcome him back into the arena, the Scourge of the Sword, the Master of Mutilation, the Surgeon of Suffering, RIPCON!"

A hatch opened up in the floor, and smoke billowed out from it as the spotlight hit. Ripcon was raised up through the floor and onto the stage as his fans started to chant his name. He cared little for the pageantry, but to know that this was his moment, he was all too happy to give them their show. He saluted the audience, at which his cheer section went insane with delight. Ripcon was a legend on the show, one that many believed should have challenged for the title some time ago, but his career path took him elsewhere. Cosmo came over, presenting the mic to him.

"Ripcon, it has been some time since you were selected for the show. What words do you have for our audience tonight?" Cosmo asked him. Ripcon just looked to the microphone.

"The Rangers fall tonight!" He declared. Cosmo didn't expect much from Ripcon. He never bothered much for the interviews or promotion of a match, he let his action do the talking.

"There it is folks, you heard it yourself. Now let's see if he has what it takes!" Cosmo called out as he headed for his control console. "THE WAR TO SETTLE THE SCORE!"

With that, he hit the button and in a flash of light, Ripcon disappeared.

In the school, the morning was coming to an end, and the afternoon classes had been cancelled to allow the kids to prepare for the show. While most of them were simple things like musical acts or dramatic readings, things that didn't really require much more set up than bringing a script or setting up instruments, some of the students had pretty elaborate acts that did require quite a bit of set-up. Some...more than others.

"What do you mean I can't do my act?" Victor whined as he followed Mrs Finch through the school. He was dressed as a matador, and carrying a long, red cape. Monty was following him, dressed as a clown. "Mrs Finch, this could be my fiftieth trophy!"

"I warned you earlier in the week Victor that you couldn't do it." Mrs Finch told him as she checked on other students. "It's not my fault you didn't listen!"

"But I've been practicing all week!" He complained.

"Victor, your act simply isn't appropriate!" She told him.

"Why not? What's the big deal?" He asked, looking around. He saw Hayley with Kody, practicing some tricks. Sarah was watching her, holding her new pet rabbit, cuddling her tightly and stroking her fur as Hayley went over the tricks with Kody. "She's allowed an animal!"

"There's a bit of a difference between a dog and an eight hundred pound bull!" She snapped at him. "It's too dangerous!"

"What about Preston? He uses explosives in his act all the time!" He protested.

"I've gotten a full safety report on all of Preston's tricks. They present no danger whatsoever." She assured him. "Now I am NOT letting you bull-fight in the school and that is FINAL!"

"Oh, right, I...guess I can guess that bull outside is something to do with you Victor." Levi said as he arrived.

"Well, yes, it's part of my act..."

"And unless your initials are MG, according to that brand it isn't even your bull." Levi commented. Mrs Finch just turned to glare at Victor.

"Really Victor?" She asked.

"Well...um..." He stammered. "I just borrowed it for a little while..."

"Did you ask first?" She asked. Victor and Monty just looked to each other, but didn't say anything. Their silence spoke volumes.

"Um...well..." Victor stammered.

"He was just standing in that field all alone." Monty told them. "We didn't think anyone would miss him."

"You know, they call that cattle rustling Victor." Levi told him. "That's still a pretty serious crime out here."

"Crime?" Monty asked. "As in...juvie?"

"As in if that farmer had caught you he'd have been entitled to shoot you." Levi informed them. Mrs Finch just groaned.

"You two are taking that bull back where you found it right now!" She ordered them.

"But the farm is miles away! Even if we leave now we'll miss the talent show!" Victor whined.

"You can take that bull back yourselves or I can call the police and they can take it back!" She warned them. Victor and Monty just both hung their heads and trudged out of the school, knowing that she would carry out her threat without a second thought. Levi just smiled and shook his head.

"It's always something with those two isn't it?" He asked.

"You have no idea!" She sighed. "Say, are you sure you don't want to be a judge? I could always..."

"Nah, I think I'd be happier just watching." Levi told her.

"Oh...well at very least would you like a little lunch first?" She asked him.

"Now that, that does sound pretty good." Levi said. As he was about to go with her, Mick ran out of the Shop Class, heading right for him.

"Levi!" He called out. "Um...Mr Weston? I was wondering if I could have your help with something."

"Is it important?" Levi asked. "I'm kind of in the middle of something..."

"It's that special project we were working on." Mick told him. "I've gotten the other donations I need; I just need your contribution."

"Oh...right." Levi said, looking to Mrs Finch apologetically. "Um...I'm sorry, we've been working on this for a while, and...I really need..."

"It's fine." She assured him. "We'll call it a rain check."

"Alright Mick, lead the way." Levi told him. With that, they headed out. Hayley and Sarah saw them going as Hayley cuddled Kody and gave him a treat, his reward for how well he was performing his tricks.

"It looks like Mick finally managed to get a hold of Levi." Sarah stated. "Have you...?"

"I put my power into it earlier." She stated. "You?"

"This morning." She answered. "I can't believe Mick believes he might have found a way to combine all our powers in one star."

"Yeah, it sounds pretty wild alright." Hayley answered. "We might just need it soon too. Ripcon's been showing up a lot more often lately and I know I'd like something a little more potent if we corner him again."

"That is one face I know I won't miss if I never see it again." Sarah said, lifting up the rabbit and cuddling it tightly. "Not like you though right? You gorgeous little..."

Her words tailed off into a kind of nonsensical baby noises. Hayley smiled to see this.

"I guess you liked that present then." Hayley said as she watched Sarah fawning over her new pet.

"How could anyone not fall in love with this face?" Sarah gushed.

"Oh...I think someone already might have." Hayley commented. Sarah just looked at her a little curiously.

"What's that meant to mean?" She asked her. Hayley just gave her a knowing look. "Hayley?"

"It was a pretty sweet thing of Preston to do to get her for you." Hayley commented.

"Yeah, it really was." Sarah answered. "Wait, do you think...? Hayley, we're friends!"

"Yeah, and so were me and Calvin." She reminded her.

"Hayley, it isn't like that!" Sarah protested. "Preston and I are friends! We're..."

"So, how long exactly did it take you to pick out that dress for the show?" Hayley asked her.

"Not long at all! I found it within about an hour of going to that shop..."

"Oh, so you actually went out shopping specifically for a dress for his show?" Hayley asked her. "And it only took you an hour?"

"Yeah, I had to figure out something that wouldn't interfere with his tricks and all the moving parts..."

"So what you're saying is you spent a lot of time and effort picking out that outfit just for him?" Hayley commented. "I'll bet it wasn't that expensive though right?"

"Well...I needed it to look good for the show so I might have dipped into my savings a little..." Sarah said, only to see the way Hayley was staring at her. "Would you quit that? Just because you started necking your best friend every chance you got doesn't mean everyone does."

"OK, if you insist." Hayley said.

"I mean it Hayley." Sarah put down flatly.

"Oh...oh yeah, I totally believe you." Hayley replied. "Totally."

Sarah just rolled her eyes. Why was it that everyone thought if a guy and a girl couldn't just be friends without there being anything going on between them? She remembered back in Amber Beach briefly getting a bit of an icy reception from Riley's girlfriend Leanne because she thought they were getting a little too close. She didn't have any designs on Riley at all. Why couldn't people see it was possible to just be friends with people you hung out with?

Sure, out of all the guys she probably hung out more with Preston than the others, but that was because they enjoyed each other's company. Preston wasn't as confident or outgoing as the others, and so she always made a little more effort to be supportive of him. When he started sharing some of his tricks with her, she was pretty impressed with the ingenuity behind them, she'd even come up with some ideas he could incorporate into some of his tricks to help. She just liked being a part of it.

Just then, their Ninja-Comms bleeped, and they quickly got up, looking for the others. Calvin, Preston and Mick quickly joined them in looking for Brody, finding him in a side room, practicing with Aiden.

"Together we are family." They sang together, strumming away on their guitars. "Every day now, we grow stronger..."

They looked up as the others burst in.

"Ripcon's attacking the city!" Mick informed them.

"Ripcon?" Brody asked, looking a little worried about this. He had faced Ripcon now a couple of times in battle, and while a couple of times he had sent him on his way, he had yet to have a decisive victory over him. The fact was as strong as Brody was, Ripcon had been a powerful warrior from long before Brody was even born and there were whole civilisations that could attest to his might. Entire armies had fallen at his feet.

"I did a quick scan and there's no one else." Mick told him. "I also checked...there are buzz-cams. A lot of them. It looks like this is the big one. It looks like this time it's Ripcon they've sent."

"He's strong. The last time we fought, I barely got away." Brody admitted. While he was confident in his skills, overconfidence was a failing a ninja could not afford. Pride was only a good thing if it didn't lead to delusion. Even Brody had to face the harsh reality that he had lucked out a couple of times with Ripcon either being pulled away by his superiors or his friends interrupting their battles. A couple of times now, Ripcon by all rights should have been measuring him up for a permanent mahogany overcoat.

"I've been working on the Ninja Fusion Star." Mick told him. "I've gotten the power transfer from all of you, Levi's in the base now putting his power into it. When it's ready it should harness the power of all six of your power stars."

"Then I guess we'll have to buy you guys some time while you finish the Ninja Fusion Star." Brody told him. Sarah handed her rabbit to Mick, while Hayley got down on one knee, telling Kody to go with him too. "Aiden, you go with Mick. Keep safe until we get back."

"I will." Aiden told him. "Just be safe Brody."

With that, the Rangers all rushed out, leaving Aiden with Mick, Kody and the rabbit. Aiden grabbed the two guitars, and was about to follow Mick, when Kody started barking at him.

"Hey!" Aiden shouted at him.

"Easy there boy!" Mick said in a soothing voice, reaching for Kody's collar. The dog was responsive to his touch, and obeyed the instruction, but he continued to growl, glaring in Aiden's direction. Mick looked between Kody and Aiden, leaving Aiden to worry about what he was thinking.

"I'm sorry about that; I've never seen Kody like that before." Mick commented.

"I guess he just doesn't like strangers." Aiden commented. There was a long pause, and Aiden waited for Mick to answer. His hand was starting to stray behind his back, when Mick finally seemed to answer.

"I guess he is a rescue dog." He commented. "None of us know what his old home was like, Hayley found him on the streets. I guess you must just remind him of someone that treated him badly."

"I guess so." Aiden answered, his hand straying back from behind his back. Mick gestured to the door.

"Come on, let's go to the base." Mick told him. "But stay in cover when you do. I have to warn you, when the Ninja Nexus Prism creates new power stars, they do come out pretty damn fast."

"Don't worry." Aiden answered as Mick led the way, a smirk crossing his face. "I know when to keep my head down."

He followed on, knowing that so far, with only a minor potential setback, his plan was working perfectly. Now Ripcon was in the city, and the Rangers' attention would all be on him. Creating the Ninja Fusion Star would give the Rangers a powerful new weapon, but soon that wouldn't matter. Once it was ready and they rushed out to meet Ripcon, they would leave the base, the Nexus Prism, and the Ninja Steel all unprotected. They would leave with one new weapon, and come home to find the rest of their armoury had been snatched from under their noses. The only thing he needed to decide was who to eliminate first, the dog or the alien.


	12. A Decade in the Making

The Rangers arrived at the battle site, finding a scene of abject chaos. There was a veritable army of Basherbots rushing around the streets, forcing people to flee for their lives. In the midst of it all though, was Ripcon, standing in the middle of the street, without so much as his sword drawn, waiting for them.

He quickly noticed them, and his gaze found the Red Ranger, locking onto his long-time rival. He stood silently, watching as the Rangers approached.

"I'm glad you finally got my invitation Rat Bait!" Ripcon greeted the Red Ranger, staring him down.

"Call them off Ripcon!" Brody yelled back. "You wanted us, and we came! These people have done nothing to you!"

"I don't think so." He responded. "You see, I've been waiting a long time for this, and now that I've got you here, I intend to make the opportunity count. I know that you care about these people, so you'll have to stop the Basherbots. You can't be in two places at once, but your team..."

"Go take care of the Basherbots." Brody interrupted him, looking to his team.

"But Brody..."

"Just go!" Brody reiterated. The others didn't want to leave him, but if they didn't then large numbers of fatalities were inevitable. This had been Ripcon's only concern. Unlike many other monsters, he cared as much about the way he won as he did about winning. As the rest of the team reluctantly split off to take care of the Basherbots, running into nearby buildings to prevent them pursuing people trying to get to safety, Brody drew his Ninja Star Blade. Ripcon gripped the handle of his katana, and drew it, the distinctive hiss of its blade leaving the scabbard ominously filling the air as he gripped the handle with both hands.

"Ten years is a long time Rat Bait." He told him. "I've been itching to do this since the day your father..."

"I've been waiting for this just as long!" Brody screamed at him. They both adopted a guard, glaring at each other unblinking. A can rolled along the street, which by now was almost silent, save for the faint sounds of battle inside the buildings, rattling as it came along the street. Brody fixated on Ripcon, the one who dragged him from his home ten long years ago as the can finally came to rest. They both let out a huge cry, and rushed at each other, their blades connecting in a shower of sparks and ringing out throughout the street. A grudge match a decade in the making was finally underway.

In the Ranger Base, Levi was focusing on the Ninja Power Star in his hands, channelling energy into it, hoping that they weren't already too late. No one was under any false impressions how powerful Ripcon was. They already knew that it was possible their current arsenal would simply not be enough to take him down, and that every second count.

"That's it Levi, just keep focusing." Mick told him, holding onto Kody's collar to ease the dog. Aiden was sitting in the corner, watching all of this as he waited for his opportunity. If he acted now, he could stop the Rangers from developing a new and powerful weapon, but that wasn't his intent. With Levi here, there was no guarantee that he could defeat him, and ultimately may be forced into retreat before he achieved his true objective. If he just waited until Levi left to take the new Power Star to the Rangers, then they would have their shiny new weapon, but return to find their base in ruins and the rest of their arsenal gone.

"Sarah's rabbit is acting very strangely." Redbot commented, inspecting the animal in its cage. It was very skittish, and seemed to be rushing about, almost as though trying to escape. It would periodically run into the side of the cage furthest from Aiden, almost like it was trying to break out.

"One problem at a time Redbot." Mick told him. "With Ripcon out there, a skittish rabbit is the least of our worries."

Mick did notice it was odd behaviour though, and couldn't help thinking about the fact he was still holding back Kody, who had started barking furiously at Aiden. He knew the odds were it was nothing to be concerned about. Kody had been a stray, taken off the streets when he was young, and so there was a very real chance that he had a story that involved a lot of trauma that they didn't want to imagine. There were any number of reasons that Aiden would remind Kody of something that had caused him very real harm. He shook his head and returned his thoughts to the task in hand.

"Mick?" Levi asked as his energy started to dissipate, and he could feel the Ninja Star starting to vibrate. "I think this is it."

"It is." Mick told him. "Alright, now just stand back, and throw it into the Nexus Prism...oh, and watch out, it comes out fast!"

Levi took up position, and launched the Ninja Star as hard as he could into the Nexus Prism. It started to glow and spin as it offered its power to the weapon, to convert it from a mere shuriken into a weapon if incredible power. Levi got into position, preparing to receive it.

Back at the site of the battle, Ripcon and Brody engaged in a deadly dance of blades that was both awe-inspiringly beautiful, and also terrifying to behold. Brody had to try hard to keep his mind clear as ten years of hatred bubbled up from the pit of his stomach, threatening to take over. Ripcon was far too dangerous, too deadly to allow his emotions to just get the better of him.

Their blades sparked as they collided, energy lighting up the street with every deadly blow. They finally parted a little way as Brody managed to catch a kick to Ripcon's leg, staggering him, but the creature was fast enough to roll out of the way before he could follow up. Brody had to pull back from his attempt to press on as Ripcon swung his blade in a wide, horizontal arc, aiming to force some space. Both of them just stared at each other, catching their breath.

"Not bad Rat Bait." Ripcon complimented him, drawing his second sword. "It looks like you actually learned something in ten years."

"You'll see how much soon enough!" Brody warned him as he rushed to the attack once more. Ripcon's use of two swords did limit the power of his strikes, but it meant that Brody now had to defend from more than one direction at a time, and the pace picked up significantly.

Driving him towards a wall, limiting his movement, Ripcon increased the pressure, forcing Brody to look for an escape from his concrete prison. Ripcon managed to hook his Ninja Blade with one of his swords, ripping it from Brody's grasp, at which Brody, with no sword to protect him from further attack, tried to use the wall to spring over Ripcon to escape. The horned creature managed to catch him as he attempted this though, striking him down onto the concrete. Brody watched as he advanced on him.

"You did well Rat Bait." Ripcon told him, raising his blades. "When you meet your dad, tell him he taught you well!"

As he brought the blades down though, they rebounded of f something that flew in between them, imbedding itself in the wall. Ricpon stared at it.

"But...that's not your sword!" He stated. Brody didn't let the opportunity go to waste. He sprung up, kicking Ripcon hard in the face as he did, and snatched the sword out of the wall.

"No, it's Preston's!" Brody said, seeing Preston in a window high above them, still battling with Basherbots to keep them from the residents. Brody managed to score a driving stab right to Ripcon's hip, which cut him deeply. The creature staggered back, his hand straying to the wound. Brody cartwheeled over to his own discarded sword and snatched it up too. "And you're not the only one that can fight with two swords!"

"You're going to pay for that!" Ripcon screamed at him as he rushed back to the attack.

Back in the Ranger Base, Levi and Mick were both still waiting on the new Power Star, while Redbot dealt with the workbench. Mick had to work quickly on the star, and so he hadn't had much of a chance to clear up and return the workshop to its usual state.

Aiden kept an eye on Redbot as he swept up the filings and off-cuts of the Ninja Steel into a pile on the workbench, before grabbing Dane's Martial Arts trophy and opening it up. Watching him sweep it all back into the trophy, he smirked. He could hardly believe it, all this time and they still hid the Ninja Steel in the trophy. They hadn't thought to get it somewhere more secure or put it in a less conspicuous place. Clearly they had relied on their secrecy, the fact that the no one knew where the base was, much less the Ninja Steel and hadn't thought to figure out a more secure way to store it. Watching Redbot put the trophy aside, he reasoned it would only make his job simpler. He wouldn't even need to figure out a way to carry it, the Rangers had already provided him with a convenient box to carry it in.

"Mick, I think this is it!" Levi said as he saw the Nexus Prism speeding up and glowing more brightly. The Ninja Fusion Star fired out quickly, into Levi's outstretched hands, which he drew into himself to absorb the force. Mick came over to inspect their work, and smiled as he saw it.

"The Ninja Fusion Star, the most powerful star we've ever created!" He marvelled. "Levi, you need to get this to Brody right away!"

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he gets it!" Levi answered as he grabbed it and ran from the base. Mick smiled, knowing that Levi would do everything he could to make sure the Rangers had the power they needed to bring Ripcon down once and for all. While his own issues with Ripcon weren't as personal as Brody's, Mick had suffered at his hands across his captivity and the thought of Ripcon finally meeting his end caused him no small amount of joy.

He spun around as he heard something, and saw Redbot fall to the floor, and stop moving. He saw Aiden with a blaster in his hand, and his eyes grew wide.

Kody threw himself at Aiden, but he was much too fast, and struck him hard, sending the loyal dog flying across the room with a heart-breaking whine. Kody hit the ground and stopped moving. Mick went over to him, checking he was still breathing, but glared at Aiden as he saw him.

"You...I was right...I was right all along!" Mick gasped. "Why?"

Aiden didn't answer, instead pulling the trigger. Mick's world faded to darkness.

Back at the site of the battle, Brody and Ripcon were both feeling the exhaustion of the battle beginning to become a factor. They both managed to land a blow or two on the other, but were never quite able to land that once deciding blow that would finish the battle off. Brody drove both of his swords into the ground, slapping Element Stars into them and setting them spinning, before snatching up the blades again.

"Ninja Element Star, Steel Slash!" Brody called out, running for Ripcon. The monster powered up his own blades.

"DOUBLE BLADE DOOM STRIKE!" He yelled, firing off the attack when Brody was almost right on top of him. The two energy attacks exploded against each other, sending both of them to the ground. Brody's ears were ringing as he tried to pull himself up, and he could hardly focus, but he could see that Ripcon had taken a hit that was just as hard. More importantly, he could see that another thing had turned in his favour. As Ripcon was getting up, Preston and Calvin grabbed his arms, holding him in place.

"What the...?"

"We finished off your friends!" Preston yelled at him.

"Brody, do it! Take him now!" Calvin screamed at him. "I don't know how long we can..."

His words were oddly prophetic as Ripcon threw them both over onto the ground.

"You think you can tip the balance?" Ripcon asked. "What you don't realise is I've been holding back an advantage too!"

He grabbed his coat and whipped it off, throwing it at Calvin and Preston. It seemed like an odd thing to do, until it hit them. Both of them were borne off their feet and hit the ground hard. The concrete cracked under them and they both struggled, unable to get up.

"I...I can't move!" Preston protested.

"What the hell?" Calvin asked. Ripcon stared at Brody, who was starting to back up a little. Ripcon mopped some blood from his mouth.

"I take my training very seriously. 24/7." He told him. "That's why I wear weighted clothing."

"Weighted clothing?" Calvin gulped. "You mean to tell me he's been handicapping himself this whole time?"

Sarah and Hayley arrived, coming to Brody's side. Ripcon just smiled.

"If you give up now I'll grant you all a clean death!" He promised them. "It's been a long time since I've needed to remove that to defeat an opponent. You should take some pride in that!"

"Sorry, giving up isn't in our playbook!" Brody told him as they all launched into the attack once more.

In the yard outside the Shop Class, Levi skidded to a halt as he realised something. He had removed his own Power Star to grant the energy Brody needed to the Ninja Fusion Star. He had left it behind in the Ranger Base. He considered his options, before getting on his Ninja Comm.

"Brody, we've got the Ninja Fusion Star." Levi told him. "It's coming in hot!"

With that, he reared back his hand, and launched it into the air, knowing that it would track to its intended target. He turned around and headed back into the Ranger Base.

"Say Mick, I forgot..." He stopped as he saw Mick, Redbot and Kody all lying on the floor. Standing by the workbench, he could see Aiden standing with a blaster. In his other hand, he was holding the trophy, containing the Ninja Steel. Levi could see what was happening, but he could hardly believe it. He didn't WANT to believe it. The team were so overjoyed to see how happy Brody was to have Aiden back they wanted to believe in him. Levi knew that Brody would be heartbroken to see what he could, but in his heart, all he could feel was rage. "Put the Ninja Steel down!"

"I don't think so!" Aiden called back, opening fire. Aiden was only just able to dive into cover, the blasts narrowly missing him. He picked up a screwdriver which had fallen on the floor, and twirling it around, he threw it like a knife, where it lodged into Aiden's arm. Levi didn't waste the opportunity and ran, rugby tackling him straight over another work bench, scattering tools and the Ninja Steel all over the floor and sending Aiden's blaster skidding across the floor.

The traitorous Aiden kicked Levi in the face as the Gold Ranger tried to grab him, scrambling to his feet and heading for the door to escape. Levi shook off the attack and got to his feet, taking off after him. He didn't even care about the fact in his hurry to pursue he had left his Power Star behind. Aiden had betrayed them all, and he was determined he was NOT getting away!

Back at the site of the battle with Ripcon, things were really heating up. Without the additional weight of his coat, Ripcon was indeed significantly stronger and faster, not being encumbered by an additional weight, meaning that even now that three Rangers free to fight against him, he was more than able to keep pace.

"DOUBLE BLADE DOOM STRIKE!" He called out, levelling all three of them. He was struggling now, trying hard to catch his breath, many injuries plaguing him from the three on one assault, but he could taste his victory within his grasp.

"I've always hated you Rat Bait. If it were up to me, I'd have crushed you underfoot the day we captured you!" Ripcon told Brody as he approached. "But then that would have denied me this battle! So I guess I have to thank Galvanax for that!"

"If you're going to finish us, get on with it!" Brody told him as he saw something glinting in the air. He had heard Levi's message and knew it was coming. He watched Ripcon powering up his ultimate attack once more, and snatched the Fusion Star out of the air, slapping it into his sword.

"DOUBLE BLADE DOOM STRIKE!" Ripcon yelled.

"NINJA FUSION STRIKE!" Brody called out, spinning it in his sword. The other four Ninja Star Blades flew into the air, spinning around, forming a shield between him and Ripcon that completely dispersed the power. Ripcon could only watch in horror, knowing he had given that last strike pretty much everything he had left within him, believing the battle was over. The swords spun around Brody as energy surrounded him, and he rushed at Ripcon impossibly quickly, rushing through him with a strike, before ramming the sword into the ground. He snatched another out the air, slicing Ripcon's remaining horn from his head, before ramming it into the ground as well. He snatched two more, performing an x-shaped slash across Ripcon's chest as he rammed the last two into the ground, surrounding him in a circle, which shone with energy, sending a column up into the air, restraining him. Ripcon struggled, but could not do anything to free himself.

"I can't move!" He screamed. Brody took the last sword and stood before him, gripping it tightly. He ripped off his helmet, glaring Ripcon right in the eyes.

"It's over Ripcon!" Brody yelled. "When you see my dad, tell him that Galvanax will be joining him soon enough!"

With that, the four swords surrounding Ripcon flew out of the ground, and fused with the one Brody was holding, creating one sword, which extended high into the air with a massive energy blade. Bringing it down in one strike, Brody sliced Ripcon from head to crotch in one blow. Ripcon stared at him, before pitching backwards and exploding on the ground. Brody turned to the nearest Buzz-Cam, staring straight into it.

"Galvanax, you're going the same way!" Brody told him. "Show's over, Ninjas WIN!"

With that, he crushed the Buzz-Cam in his hand, destroying it utterly.


	13. Brothers Betrayal

Aiden cast a look back to see if he was still being pursued as he ran into the yard, checking to see if Levi was close to him. That momentary glance away from the direction he was running caused him to miss a stack of tyres that he collided with, tumbling onto the ground. Levi grabbed him and yanked him to his feet, forcing him face-first against the shelves.

"You're not going anywhere Aiden!" He grunted as he struggled to hold him. "You're going to pay for what you've done, but first...first you're going to face your brother and explain to him why..."

Aiden pushed Levi back far enough to get a foot onto the shelves, and used that to flip over his head, landing behind him. Levi turned around just in time to catch a kick across the face, taking him down.

Aiden ran to the gates, but stopped as he found them locked. He inspected the chain holding the gates shut, and cursed his luck. He was rammed into the gate from behind, before being thrown to the ground. He got up, in time to fell a right cross across his face. He looked up to see Levi standing over him.

"Like I said, you're going nowhere." Levi told him. Aiden just laughed as he got up.

"You really think you have what it takes to beat me?" Aiden asked as he pulled off his hoodie. "I'm practically a ninja master! You've been training for a few weeks?"

"If you're so sure of yourself, come on!" Levi called out. Aiden threw his hoodie at Levi's face, distracting him as he snatched up a metal pipe and ran for him. Levi was only just able to duck before Aiden could cave in his skull! He gulped as he saw one of the shelving units buckle where he had struck.

"That was WAY too close!" He commented.

Up on the Warrior Dome, Cosmo could hardly contain his glee. He had managed to claw back his ratings and more with this event. In fact, he had almost doubled his audience in a week with the Ripcon battle! Fans on both sides were going completely wild for the bout. It had everything, it had drama, it had twists, it had peril...he was glad he had taken the decision to only allow the first ten minutes on free-view and had put up a pay-wall for the rest of the bout. By the time the pay-per-view figures came in, he was positive he'd have shattered another record.

"Did you see THAT folks!" Cosmo screamed, pointing to the screen. "The Red Ranger is victorious!"

He didn't even need the apparatus to know what the result was going to be. There were already people chanting for him to be gigantified. In fact, without exception, every member of the audience, even the ones cheering for Brody were calling for it! No one wanted the battle to be over just yet. As the Kudabots wheeled it in, Cosmo turned to the audience.

"You all know the score, but tonight; I have an extra special treat." Cosmo told them. "If the vote exceeds eighty percent, I'll throw in a couple of Skullgators!"

The audience erupted as he made this announcement. Cosmo wanted to really tip this over the edge, not just for the pay-per-view audience, but because it was bound to result in the Power Stars coming into their grasp. The lights on the scale started to light up, at which Cosmo grinned, seeing only the profits rolling in. As soon as it hit the top, confirming that the audience wanted to see Ripcon gigantified, he went to the console.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, you asked for it, and who am I to refuse? GIGANTIFY!" He called out. "And just to really rattle their bones, how about two SKULLGATORS!"

The audience screamed as he slammed his hands down on the controls, sending down the beams. The show was far from over, and by the time it was over, no matter what happened, Cosmo was going to be the real winner!

Down at the site of the battle, the Rangers had held back for a few moments, suspecting that the fight might not be over. They had seen Cosmo send so many giant monsters after them, some that were nowhere near the level of Ripcon, that there was no way he was going to let them end the battle there. The beam hit the ground right where Ripcon had fallen.

"Alright, I guess we saw that coming." Calvin commented.

"Call the Zords." Brody ordered them. Preston just pointed upwards.

"Guys...I don't think he's finished!" Preston gulped as two more beams hit the ground. They watched giant bones starting to form up, and before they knew it, Ripcon was standing over them, accompanied by two Skullgators. Hayley's eyes grew wide.

"OK, we barely beat Ripcon, and we've only ever faced one Skullgator." She commented. "How is this fair?"

"I don't think Cosmo really cares about playing fair!" Calvin answered.

"Levi, come in!" Brody called into his communicator. Unfortunately he didn't get an answer. "LEVI! Damn it, what is keeping him?"

"We can't worry about that now!" Calvin told him. "Sarah, call the Astro Zord. I'll call the Rumble Tusk Zord. It might not be the Bull-Rider Megazord, but hopefully they can keep the Skullgators off you till you can take down Ripcon."

"Good thinking Calvin." Brody said as they all clipped their Ninja Power Stars into their swords. "Ninja-Zords, out of the shadows!"

Back at the yard, Levi was on the run, trying to keep out of reach of Aiden's huge swings with the pipe. He grabbed a stack of hubcaps, throwing them at him like shuriken, but with little effect other than to cause him to cover up. Aiden rushed him, ramming him into the shelving units, which swayed and rocked, raining down some parts onto them.

He grabbed the pipe, struggling to wrestle with Aiden for control of the pipe.

"I don't get it Aiden, I have a brother, we fight, but I'd NEVER do anything like this to Tom!" Levi screamed at him. "All Brody's ever wanted was to find you, to bring you back! Why would you do this to him?"

"You don't pay much attention do you? Don't you get it? The bad guys are so much stronger than we'll EVER be!" Aiden yelled at him. "No one asked for the Ninja Steel. No one MADE my dad fight to keep it! You think this little shithole planet has ANYTHING else they want? Why not just let them take it and get on their way?"

Aiden kneed Levi in the gut, doubling him up and turning away from him. As he steadied himself on the shelves, Levi felt them moving. Looking behind Aiden, he saw that the strut he had hit before had broken, and was only just holding together. He positioned himself by its counterpart on the other side.

"You don't know what they'll do with it once they have it! What do you think Galvanax is going to do other than make weapons?" Levi asked him. "Even if he does leave us alone, even if he does take it and go and doesn't come back. What about the next planet? What about all the lives he takes there? That'll be on us because we gave him the weapons to do it!"

"Better them than us!" Aiden sneered. Levi just straightened up.

"Then I guess we're done here." Levi told him, gesturing to him to strike. "Go ahead Aiden, finish it!"

Aiden swung the pipe as hard as he could, but Levi threw himself out the way. As the pipe connected, buckling the support, Aiden could hear the creaking and looked up in time to see the whole shelving unit coming down. He threw his hands up over his head, but the shelves collapsed on top of him. As the dust settled, Levi got up, making his way over.

"Aiden?" He asked. He wanted to end the fight, but he didn't want Aiden to die. He wanted him to face judgement, to face the repercussions of his actions. At very least, Brody deserved to hear from Aiden himself why he had betrayed them. Why he had turned his back on everything their father had ever taught them. He started frantically trying to dig him out. "You are not getting out of it that easily! You're going to explain everything to your brother..."

He was caught by a hard punch to the jaw which threw him back through the air, dumping him a little way off. The debris started to shift, and he saw Aiden standing up. His eyes grew wide as he saw him, his clothing and even his flesh torn, barely hanging onto him in some places, and underneath, he could see metal and wires. A glowing red eye focused on him.

"Brother?" He asked. "I HAVE no brother!"

"LEVI!" Mick called out as he and Redbot ran into the yard. Mick was carrying a blaster rifle, while Redbot had converted his arm into its cannon mode. Levi rushed the robotic imposter and grabbed him, holding him tightly.

"It's not Aiden! It's a robot!" Levi told them. "Take him out!"

"Levi, get clear!" Mick screamed at him.

"JUST DO IT!" Aiden ordered him. He knew that even damaged, even though it was a robot, this machine had been programmed with impressive combat skills. He couldn't take the chance that Mick and Redbot would miss their shot. Reluctantly, they opened fire, blasting both 'Aiden' and Levi back into the debris. Aiden held onto him as a charge went through him, electrifying every inch of his body, but something else happened.

He started to get flashes of memories as he held onto the robot, which was sparking and overloading. These weren't like before, they weren't the memories he had seen already, in some of them, he was young...younger than he could remember from before. He had never had any memories dating from before he met The General and was taken in by the Westons. It was dim, but he could see a child, one that he just felt in his heart was him...then dim images, shadows almost of another child, and man...he couldn't make out who they were, but he felt love for them...were they his real family?

"It's the charge, he can't let go!" Mick called out as he and Redbot ran for them both. Mick transformed his hands into wood so they wouldn't conduct electricity, while Redbot really didn't have much problem with it. Redbot grabbed 'Aiden' while Mick grabbed Levi. "We have to separate them, he's going to blow!"

Pulling them apart, Mick threw himself and Levi onto the ground, turning into steel to shield them from the blast, while Redbot threw 'Aiden' as far as he could. In a huge explosion, he scattered all over the yard. His head, only half covered in fake flesh, landed next to Mick and Levi. The Gold Ranger picked it up, staring at it.

"A robot." He gasped. "All this time, he was a robot!"

"Levi, you really need to go." Mick told him. "I checked on the others, they're taking on Ripcon and a couple of Skullgators. They need everything they can lay their hands on!"

"Hello?" They heard someone yelling. It was Mrs Finch. Realising she must have heard the explosion; Levi quickly threw the head to Redbot, who went to hide. Mick pulled his blaster around behind his back as she arrived.

"Hey...Mrs Finch." Levi said with a smile.

"What happened out here?" She asked, noting Levi's dishevelled appearance. He was covered in muck, and he was showing clear signs of injury. "I heard what sounded like an explosion..."

"Um...it was...that experiment Mr Kanik and I were working on!" Levi stammered, trying to think on his feet for an explanation. "It got a little out of hand."

"A little out of hand?" She asked, seeing the scene of destruction in the yard. "Are you alright?"

"I'm a little shaken up, but..."

"We should get you to a hospital!" She shrieked. Levi looked to Mick, who pointed to the door, reminding him of his current priority.

"I...I have somewhere to be..."

"Yes, it's called an emergency room!" Mrs Finch told him. He just put a hand on her shoulder.

"I have an excellent personal physician. His office isn't too far from here." Levi told her. It was true that he kept a doctor on retainer. While he was on tour, he had to be prepared in case anyone got hurt or sick, and he couldn't always guarantee the state of the local hospitals everywhere he went. It also saved a lot of time since his doctor already had the medical files of his staff with her, and so didn't need to wait on files being transferred from their individual doctors.

"I'll take you..."

"NO!" Levi told her. "I mean...you should stay and take care of the show. The office isn't too far, I'll be fine!"

"As...as long as you're sure." She said, sounding a little unhappy about leaving him to take care of himself. She took out a pen and scribbled down a number. "But you call me the SECOND your doctor has seen you and no excuses!"

"I promise." He answered. With that, he sprinted away. As he did though, he couldn't help thinking about the flashes in his memory he had seen. Were they real? Had the charge somehow pried something loose? He shook his head, trying to focus on the task ahead of him. He could hardly trust a lot of the memories he had already seen. How could he rely on any memories he had when he was being electrocuted?

Mrs Finch looked to Mick.

"Um...I have...a lot of clearing up to do." He told her. Mrs Finch realised she wasn't going to get any more of an explanation out of him and just rolled her eyes, before walking away. She was all for teachers being able to express themselves in their own individual way, but even she had to admit that Mick was unique in a way she wasn't sure she'd ever understand.

Over at the site of the battle, things were more than a little bit of a struggle for the Rangers. Hayley, Preston and Brody were battling Ripcon with the Megazord, while Calvin and Sarah tried to keep the Skullgators busy.

Sarah buzzed past one of the Skullgators, knocking it off balance as she performed a scan.

"Calvin, I think I've found a weakness." Sarah told him. "My scans are showing a major stress point at the c6 vertebrae."

"Um...alright." Calvin said. "Let's pretend I don't know what that means."

"One of the back bones, it looks like that's what carries most of the strain on the Skullgators' bodies." She told him. "If we target that, I think it might bring them down!"

"Like knocking the keystone out of a bridge?" Calvin asked her as he rushed his own opponent, smashing into it with his Zord's tusks.

"Exactly!" She told him.

"Well, it's worth a shot I guess." He answered.

"I'm sending you the data now." She told him. "Aim there, give it everything!"

With that, they both powered up their weapons and opened fire. The two Skullgators shattered into a collection of bones, but instead of just falling to the ground, they reformed into a sword.

"What the hell?" Calvin asked.

"Well...that's new!" Sarah agreed. Ripcon grabbed the sword out of the air. It was larger than him, and it took both hands for him to swing. He connected with the Astro Zord first, at which all the consoles sparked and sounded warnings as it spun out of the air. Sarah was ejected by the emergency escape system, dumping her on the ground.

"Now THIS is my kind of weapon!" Ripcon called out as he spun around, smashing into the Rumble Tusk Zord. Calvin was also ejected as the Zord disappeared, being sent back to its hiding place to self-repair. Ripcon rounded on the Megazord.

"Whoa, that thing looks SO powerful!" Hayley commented.

"That guy has been playing WAY too much Dark Souls!" Preston added as Sarah and Calvin joined them in the Megazord.

"He took out the Astro Zord and the Rumble Tusk Zord like they were nothing!" Sarah told them as they took their position, lending the Megazord their power. "We're going to need all the help we can get!"

Ripcon brought the sword down in a huge overhead swing. The Rangers tried to parry it, but the blow was so string it just smashed straight through and hit the Zord. The Rangers staggered, struggling to hold on as he followed up with a horizontal slash, knocking them down.

"This is not good!" Preston grunted as he looked around. He saw Sarah getting back to her podium and was emboldened, seeing that she was still up and still in the fight. He took up position as well, while the others got back up.

"OK, we're taking a pasting, we CANNOT afford to take another shot from that thing!" Brody stated. "Preston, you take the lead! We'll use your lightning. Maybe we can take him down from a safe distance!"

"Ninja Megazord, Dragon Formation!" Preston called out as he took up the Command Position, taking the Master Blade from Brody. "Alright, let's give this a shot. Ninja Megazord, Final STRIKE!"

They powered up their lightning attack, launching it straight at Ripcon. He held up the sword, which took the hit full on, before throwing it right back at them. The Megazord hit the ground once more.

"OK...so much for that idea!" Preston grumbled. They all watched as Ripcon approached, looking to deliver the final blow. He was only stopped as a succession of blasts hit him full on. He hadn't seen Levi arriving in his Megazord.

"Sorry I'm late guys!" He told them. "I'd love to give you better news, but that was my best shot."

"That was the Rodeo Rapid Blast?" Calvin asked him. "But Ripcon's still standing!"

"And he's still got that sword!" Sarah commented. "Guys...I have an idea, I have no idea if it'll work..."

"Right now I'm up for anything." Brody told her.

"It's not what the star was designed for, but...if the Ninja Fusion Star can combine our powers..."

"Maybe it can combine the Megazord's powers!" Hayley interjected. Brody weighed up his options, something that didn't take him long at all since he was quickly running out of them. While taking chances was strongly discouraged in the ninja playbook, there was always a big belief in the benefit of doing SOMETHING instead of doing NOTHING.

"Alright, we'll give it a shot!" Brody stated, putting the Ninja Fusion Star into the Master Blade. "Ninja Fusion Star, Ninja SPIN!"

The Rangers all held on tightly as the Zords split apart and started to reform. Sarah took a look at her console as the Zords started to form up into one giant Megazord.

"Guys, I've never seen our power levels spike like this!" Sarah yelled. "We didn't blow up!"

"Both good things!" Brody stated. "Guys, where did Ripcon go?"

They got a warning of an incoming attack, and before they knew it, the Megazord had reacted, turning and blocking Ripcon's incoming attack. It swung for him, retaliating with a powerful strike that shattered his sword, sending bone splinters raining down into the streets below.

"My beautiful sword!" Ripcon whined as he watched his weapon crumble in his hands.

"You shouldn't play rough if you don't want your toys to get broken!" Brody told him, pulling the Ripcord on the Master Blade. "Ninja Fusion Zord, Final STRIKE!"

Ripcon screamed as the blade came down, glowing with power. With an almighty explosion, Ripcon disappeared, leaving the Rangers as the last ones standing.

"You wanted your rubber match, and you got it Ripcon." Brody told him. "Show's over, Ninjas WIN!"


	14. The Romero Family Song

The Rangers assembled in the Ranger Base after their battle. For most of them, they felt it should be a time to celebrate. For the team, they had finally destroyed Ripcon for good. Ripcon was not just a powerful warrior, but one of the strongest warriors on the Warrior Dome, a legend in the arena, and also a member of the inner circle of the Warrior Dome's workings. Destroying him dealt a huge blow to Galvanax and his plans.

For Brody and Mick, it also had to be cathartic. While the rest of the inner circle, Galvanax, Odious and Cosmo were all still alive, Ripcon had been the one to have the most direct contact with the slaves, acting largely as an enforcer or marshal for them to keep slaves in line. His cruelty was well known and both of them had more than an unhealthy interest in seeing him destroyed in a way that caused him as much suffering as possible. Brody had fantasized many times about the day he would finally exact revenge on him for everything he had done to him and his family, rehearsed many times the things he would love to say to him as he watched him die in agony. All in, it should have been a celebration, but as they got back to the Ranger Base, there was a far more subdued atmosphere than they should have expected after a victory such as this. No, now that they had dealt with Ripcon, Levi had to tell them about what had happened with 'Aiden'.

It took some time for him to relay the story. He didn't really know how to explain to the team, but especially to Brody, what had happened. While there had been some doubts, some scepticism about just how convenient it was that Aiden had shown up again and to whether or not he could be trusted, but through it all, they wanted more than anything for it to be real. For Brody, who had his entire life stolen from him, they wanted more than anything for Aiden to be back, and to be on the level about wanting to help bring down the Warrior Dome for good. They wanted so much for Brody and Aiden to be able to get to rebuilding the lives that had been taken from them. When Levi had found 'Aiden' in the act of stealing the Ninja Steel, and having attacked Mick, Redbot and Kody, he was livid. He couldn't imagine anything that would drive Aiden to betray them the way he had, even if he had given up on the war and was seeking to hand over the Ninja Steel. It made a certain amount of sense when they all remembered how passionately Aiden had pushed for them to give up when Brody was poisoned, though they had presumed that was out of concern for his brother. Even through his anger at the betrayal, Levi was most worried about how he'd break the crushing news to Brody that his brother had switched sides and was now trying to bargain with the Warrior Dome.

Learning that 'Aiden' wasn't even real though, learning that he was robot, was something he had no idea how to feel about. On one respect, he was happy that at least it meant he hadn't murdered another human, much less Brody's brother, but it did also leave a lot of questions for them.

The room was silent as Levi finished his story. Hayley was holding Kody close, hugging him and comforting him. She was sure he hadn't suffered any serious injuries, one of the benefits of her power was that she could understand him and directly ask him what he was feeling and how he felt. She was satisfied that Kody was more rattled than hurt. He would likely be fine in a couple of days, and with plenty of hugs. The team though, was most worried about Brody, who just stared at the disembodied head of the defeated 'Aiden'.

The head had most of the artificial flesh ripped or burned off it from the battle, but enough was left over that they could tell who it had been. Brody held it in his hands, staring at it.

"Brody, I'm really sorry." Levi told him awkwardly. "I...I really wish I had something better to tell you but..."

"It's alright." Brody sighed as he stared at the head. "You...you did what you had to."

"Brody, we all know how much you wanted this to be on the level." Sarah told him sympathetically as she clutched her rabbit in one hand, while putting a hand on his shoulder.

"This stinks of Odious." Mick told them coldly. "This is way outside of Galvanax's playbook. He's not smart enough to come up with something like this. Cosmo...he only cares about what's on camera. He wouldn't do something like this unless he had an audience."

"That witch, she probably had her little robot here infiltrate us so he could convince us to give up the Ninja Steel when Brody was poisoned." Hayley surmised.

"I think that was more opportunistic than anything else." Mick responded. "He was after the Ninja Steel. He set up this whole fight to get to distract you all so he could find out where we kept the Ninja Steel. As soon as he knew that, he made his move."

"Selling out Ripcon sounds just like something Odious would do." Levi agreed. "We also know Ripcon was looking for her in connection to kidnapping me. Ripcon being destroyed works out pretty well for her right now."

"So are you alright?" Calvin asked Brody. "We'll understand if you want to go home..."

"I am home." Brody stated.

"But...the farm..."

"I'm staying here." Brody told them.

"Are you sure?" Calvin asked. Brody just shrugged.

"What do I have to go back there for?" He asked in response as he dumped 'Aiden's' head in a trash can. "It was all a lie, and I'm sick of falling for lies. I want to be around stuff that's real, and that's what this is. This is what's real, this, right here."

"Well, you might be staying, but I definitely could do with going home." Levi said, rubbing his head. "I don't know what happened, but that thing laid a major whammy on me when we destroyed it."

"Are you alright?" Hayley asked him.

"Yeah, I'm sure I'll be fine, but I'm a little groggy. I could do with some rest." Levi told them. "I'm not really up for the talent show. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

As he left, Calvin just sighed.

"The talent show!" He groaned.

"I'm going to have to pull out." Hayley told them. "Kody might just be bruised up, but I don't think I want to risk making him do tricks."

"Not that I feel like it anyway." Kody grumbled. "I've played dead long enough for one day."

"As long as you only play." Hayley said with a smile, kissing his head and scratching him behind the ears.

"You...do remember none of us can understand when you two talk right?" Calvin asked his girlfriend.

"I guess if you don't want to..."

"Are you kidding? I've been looking forward to this all week!" Sarah interrupted Preston. "Just give me a chance to get changed and I'll be right there."

"Yeah, so will I." Brody answered. They all looked to him.

"Brody, none of us would blame you for giving this a miss." Calvin told him. "You were meant to be playing with Aiden."

"I guess for now it's a solo act." Brody answered. "That thing may have impersonated my brother, but as long as I still remember him, as long as he and dad are in my heart, they'll never really be gone."

"We'll just give you a minute." Mick told him. "Come on guys, we should all get ready."

As they left, Sarah hung back for a little bit. She assured Preston she'd be along to get ready in a moment, but she was still a little concerned about Brody. Putting her rabbit back in her cage, she went over to him.

"Brody, I know it's tough, but..."

"We nearly lost everything because I didn't see through this trick." Brody interrupted her. "I was so...desperate...to believe that Aiden was back that I didn't listen to you."

"Brody, we understand." Sarah answered.

"They played me!" Brody snapped at her. "All of you warned me not to just take this on face value. All of you warned me this might be a trick and I didn't listen! I am NEVER getting played like that again!"

"What do you mean by that?" Sarah asked him.

"Occam's Razor." Brody told her. Sarah just looked at him curiously.

"The most likely solution is probably the right one?" She asked him. "I don't understand."

"I wanted so badly for that to be Aiden that I ignored the fact that he was twelve when he went on the run. He was twelve years old and had no money and no one to look after him." Brody stated. "I know and you know what the odds are of that ending in anything other than a John Doe in some unmarked grave somewhere."

"So you're giving up hope?" Sarah asked.

"It'll be easier if I just accept the fact they're gone and move on." Brody told her. Sarah just shook her head.

"I don't think you should." She assured him.

"But..."

"So it's unlikely. Unlikely things happen all the time! Especially for us!" Sarah told him. She pulled out her cell phone and pulled up her contacts. "You want to know who I have on my contacts? I have a Palaeontologist who was thought dead for as long as Aiden was..."

"James was an adult when he went missing." Brody reminded her.

"I also have Ivan, a guy who disappeared 800 years ago." She reminded him. "Oh, and how about this one? Koda, a guy that spend the better part of 100,000 years as an ice cube! All of them are doing just fine today!"

"Sarah, I know what you're trying to do, and I appreciate it, but all of them had explanations. Other things that kept them alive." Brody reminded her. "For all we know Aiden was found face-down in a harbour somewhere a couple of weeks after he left."

"I don't think that for a minute, and I don't think you should either." Sarah told him.

"Why not?" Brody asked her.

"Because he knew stuff that only Aiden should know." Sarah reminded him. "He said and did a lot of stuff that only Aiden should know about, like that song you're singing today. That thing...that might have been a robot, but those memories have to have come from somewhere."

"So maybe they found him and took his memories." Brody responded. "That doesn't mean they kept him when they were done."

"But why would they care what some random 12 year old knew when they had his 8 year old brother was on the ship?" She asked him. "That would suggest to me that they only acquired those memories recently."

"So...you think...?"

"Odious took Levi." She reminded him. "Who's to say that he's the only human she's kidnapped?"

"Thanks Sarah." He sighed. Sarah just patted him on the shoulder, before heading to the door.

"I need to go find Preston." She told him. "Good luck out there."

With that, she left Brody alone in the Ranger Base. Picking up his guitar, he started to tune it. He knew it would be easier to just write off Aiden as lost, but some of the things Sarah said made a lot of sense. How would Odious gather those memories to put into her robot? And if she did have Aiden, was it possible she still had him?

Some time later, the talent show was underway, and the whole school was having a great time. Levi's brother Tom was sitting at a table with Mrs Finch and Principal Hastings, watching the acts as they progressed. The acts were something of a mixed bag, both in content and in talent. They varied from a juggling act that had to be stopped before he gave himself a concussion, to a dance group that Tom was seriously considering referring to one of his contacts in the business.

The kids were having a great time, regardless of what they were seeing. The whole show was dedicated to talents and abilities that some of the kids had that normally didn't get much in the way of credit from their peers. The fact it also got them all out of class was also an added bonus. The judges could be seen conferring and taking notes on the acts.

The penultimate act was Presto Chango, and his glamorous assistant, Sarah. Preston, as always, was dressed for the occasion, having had his tuxedo prepared for the occasion. Sarah, it seemed was also keen to impress, and had bought a pink, sequined, backless dress. Everyone was enthralled by the act, and it seemed that Sarah and Preston were really pulling out all the stops to impress. Preston had never put on a show this elaborate in front of an audience, but with Sarah by his side, he felt a boost in confidence that drove him to ensure he put on the best show for all involved.

Sarah was in a standing box, being strapped in tightly by the Blue Ranger. He lingered a little as he strapped her in, looking to her with a smile. He couldn't help thinking about what Calvin and Levi had said to him about Sarah, and he had to admit, when he first saw her in the dress, he had almost completely forgotten his opening trick. Fortunately once Sarah reminded him, his instincts kicked in and he was able to carry on with the act they had rehearsed so diligently all week for the show.

He had to get pretty close and intimate with her to ensure the straps were tightened properly, but also that the release that would allow her to escape for the trick to be completed was clear.

"You were right." He told her. "I really do love the dress. The audience does too."

Sarah smiled, and felt her face flushing a little at the compliment. She was glad that Preston liked the dress. She had seen his tuxedo a few times, and while Preston had assured her over and over that he didn't expect her to put in too much effort, she knew how important Preston's magic was to him and she really wanted to do everything she could to show the same level of commitment to it as he did.

"I think they're more impressed with the act." She replied.

"Alright, that should do it." He told her. He started closed over the door, locking the cabinet and trapping her inside, before turning to the audience. He went to a table and pulled back a sheet, showing a number of swords there. He picked one up and picked up an apple. He threw the apple into the air, and sliced it in half just to demonstrate that the swords were very real. He started to pace around, and put on a bit of a show, all so that Sarah had the time to do her part. He took the sword and drove it through the cabinet to some gasps from the audience. He continued to do this with another few swords, piercing the cabinet no less than a dozen times.

He went to another area, and pulled back a sheet, this time showing a massive, double-headed axe that was almost as large as him. He picked it up and made his way towards the cabinet, standing before it. He took a deep breath and swung it overhead, bringing it down on the cabinet. A small explosive squib went off as he brought the axe down, and the cabinet collapsed, revealing that Sarah was nowhere in sight.

Preston pointed to the back of the room, where Sarah was standing. She ran down the aisle towards him, hopping up onto the stage and threw her arms around him. Preston put an arm around her as they turned to the audience and waved, accepting the applause for the final trick. They both smiled as they took their bow.

"Now ladies and gentlemen, to close out our show today, my good friend, BRODY!" Preston called out. He and Sarah posed as a smoke bomb went off, at which they and their props disappeared. Brody made his way out onto the stage with a chair and his guitar as the audience greeted him. He set up the chair and settled in, gripping the guitar as he adjusted the microphone.

"My dad wrote this song for my brother and I when we were just little kids, to remind us that even though our mom was gone, we were still a family." Brody told them. "I was hoping to be singing this song with my brother, but until I find him, I'll sing it for you alone."

He started strumming the strings, at which the audience fell quiet. The judges all sat, listening intently. Tom in particular leaned right forward as soon as he heard the melody start to play.

"I'm with you,  
When you're far from home,  
I'm still with you,  
A family bond that can't break!"

"Wow, it's just a shame Levi isn't here." Calvin whispered as he leaned over to Hayley. "Brody's really good, he'd have loved to hear it!" Hayley just nodded in agreement as she clutched her boyfriend's hand tightly.

"I choose a star,  
Its light leads me home,  
To be with you,  
A family bond that can't break!"

The audience was hushed and somewhat in awe as Brody continued. It was like the song spoke to all of them on some level or another. Brody didn't notice though, feeling only the connection to his own family as he sang the song that had gotten them through so many hard times. The judges all leaned in towards each other and started discussing the act.

"Together we are family,  
Every day now, we grow stronger,  
In our hearts now and forever,  
I can count on you,  
You can count on me,  
For we will always, always be,  
Family."

The audience got to their feet, clapping wildly as Brody finished. Some of them even had to wipe away tears, and some of them were on their phones trying to call family members. It took a while for order to be restored. The judges all stood up, heading to the stage as the crowd waited for word. Tom took the microphone.

"Thank you all for a wonderful afternoon of entertainment. Unfortunately, there can only be one winner." He told them. Everyone waited for his announcement. "Congratulations Presto Chango."

There was a murmur from the crowd as he announced this. Preston and Sarah slowly, slightly reluctantly went to the stage to accept the trophy, but it was pretty clear that the audience believed Brody had won.

"Alright, I want all this cleared up and everyone out of here in the next hour!" Principal Hastings called out as she heard the rumblings from the crowd. The team all went after the judges as the kids started clearing up to loud protests.

"Principal Hastings!" Preston called out as they chased after her.

"What is it Preston?" She asked him. "You won, I thought you'd be happy!"

"Well...we are, but...we didn't deserve to win." Sarah protested.

"Quite on the contrary, your magic act is one of the best I've ever seen." Tom told them.

"Guys, it really doesn't matter..."

"No, Brody, it does matter!" Sarah interrupted the Red Ranger. She loved seeing Preston getting some credit for his magic, but even she could see that something wasn't right with this decision. "You heard that audience, there's no WAY we should have won! They all thought Brody..."

"Our decision is final!" Tom told them.

"Can you at least tell us why?" Preston asked him.

"I really don't think we should discuss this in public." He told them. "It would be embarrassing, wouldn't it Brody?"

"Embarrassing?" Sarah asked. "What are you talking about?"

"We...had to disqualify Brody." Mrs Finch told them. The Rangers all looked completely stunned by this announcement. As the judges went into Principal Hastings' office, they barged in.

"What?" Brody asked. "Disqualified? For what?"

"You really want to do this in front of your friends?" Tom asked him. "You don't want to just accept this and move on?"

"No, if you're calling him a cheat then I want to hear why!" Calvin said a little too forcefully, before backing down. "Principal Hastings."

"Alright, since you insist." Tom said, pulling out his phone. He pulled up his music files and started one of the files. They all listened as they heard the song...only it wasn't Brody that was singing. It was Tom! "My career might not have taken off like Levi's did, and I have no doubt that none of the kids out there have ever heard my album, but I know my own work when I hear it."

"Wait...your work?" Sarah gasped.

"You might want to look up intellectual property rights if you're going to claim something as your own." Tom told them. "Oh, and just a tip, if you are going to plagerise someone's work, you might want to make sure they aren't in the audience when you do."

With that, the team got shown out of the office, and the door was slammed behind them. Brody slung the guitar over his back.

"Brody..."

"It's fine." Brody told them. "Anyone want to get something to eat?"

"Brody..."

"I really just...feel like something to eat." Brody interrupted Calvin. "Preferably the biggest pizza I can find."

With that, he left. The others all looked dejected, but went with him for support. He had lost enough today without having to re-evaluate his memory of his father.


	15. Royal Arrival

Mick was working on some Ninja Stars when the door to the Ranger Base opened up. He paused for a moment as Brody came in, carrying a few bags. He didn't have much, he essentially fled the Warrior Dome with nothing but the clothes on his back, but in the short time he had been on Earth, it was surprising how much he had accumulated. The guys on the team were quite generous in ensuring he had clothes and suchlike, and he had acquired a few souvenirs and personal items. It was a little surprising that after just short of six months he had enough possessions to fill two bags, but that was where they were.

Brody had only moved out of the Ranger Base a short time ago, and he wasn't really expecting to move back. When 'Aiden' had shown up, he was pretty much expecting that was it. They had moved back into the old family farm. They had even made impressive progress in returning it to its original state on the short time he had been with them. It was all the more reason why it was so upsetting to him that now that had all been snatched away.

The being they thought of as Aiden, as Brody's long-lost brother, it transpired, had been a robot, an android that Madame Odious had created and programmed somehow with Aiden's memories to act as an infiltrator, to gain the Rangers' trust and to get close to them and their base all in the hopes of delivering a victory to Galvanax all under the Rangers' noses.

"Your old cot is over there…just as you left it." Mick told him. It was a little bit awkward for Mick at this time. While the others had expressed concerns over how timely and miraculous Aiden's return had been, but over time they had bought into the miracle and were overjoyed to see Brody so happy. To see him beginning to regain a life that had been stolen from him, but through it all, Mick had still been a voice of caution. While Brody had been on the Warrior Dome for ten years, Mick had been there over twice that time. He had been sold into slavery as a mere child, and had known Cosmo and his crew longer than he had known his own family. He was well aware of the duplicitous and back-stabbing culture that Cosmo had not only fostered, but actively encouraged in his followers. While he had ended up being proven right to be cautious around 'Aiden', he gained no satisfaction from that. He wanted it to be true just as much as everyone else.

"Thanks Mick." Brody said quietly, placing his bags on the cot. His tone was heart breaking to hear. He had allowed himself to hope against hope that he had his family back. Mick had taken care of Brody, protected and guided him since he had come aboard Galvanax's ship. To the crew, and even to other slaves, someone as young and vulnerable as Brody when he came on board was pretty much just meat. The cut-throat nature of the ship filtered down to the slaves, who being subjected to oppression and cruelty their whole lives ended up devolving into creatures of survival themselves. Beatings, theft and abuse were all rampant among slaves who were given so little resources and even food that they would often take it from each other. Mick had learned himself that a child in that environment was at best seen as an easy target and at worst, a meal. He had witnessed some slaves so desperate for resources that they had resorted to murder and even cannibalism. Seeing Brody so down, it reminded him of the frightened, devastated child he had encountered all those years ago.

"Brody…" Mick started to say, before stopping himself. He had to think what he was trying to say, what he could say in this instance. "It's…good to have you back. The place wasn't the same without you."

"Thanks Mick." Brody answered. "So, what are you working on?"

"I don't know really." Mick said, furrowing his brows. "I just wanted to make sure we had some spares in case the Nexus Prism…"

Just then, the Nexus Prism started to glow. Mick and Brody both turned towards it.

"Talk about timing." Brody commented. "You think it's ready to make something?"

"There's one way to find out." Mick answered, throwing a Ninja Star at it. The metal star rebounded off the Nexus Prism, which started to shift, showing an image. Mick and Brody watched on, intent on finding out what it was trying to show them.

"That looks like a space ship." Brody commented, seeing a lion-shaped space ship powering through an asteroid field. "Isn't that the ship we saw before?"

"I…guess it could be." Mick said, inspecting the image. They had indeed seen an image of a ship flying through space.

"No, I think it is, didn't you say it was from the Lion Galaxy?" Brody asked him. Mick just nodded.

"I guess it looks like it is." Mick answered. Brody just scratched his head.

"I wonder why the Nexus Prism is showing us this now?" He asked, before he noticed something. He saw a kind of green-blue planet with rings circling it vertically. "Wait…isn't that Uranus?"

"It's got nothing to do with my butt." Mick said with a weak laugh. Brody just glared at him. "It…it looks like it could be."

"So that means it's in our solar system." Brody concluded. "Why would a ship from the Lion Galaxy be here?"

"I don't know." Mick answered. "But the people of the Lion Galaxy aren't exactly known for subtlety. I'm sure if they have any business here, we'll know about it soon enough."

Brody had a feeling that Mick knew more than he was saying as he went back to work, but he didn't want to pry. Mick said very little about where he was from or what happened there, only that he had been sold as a slave from his home in the Lion Galaxy. He went to his cot and started to unpack.

Mick continued to work, taking a file and attacking a Ninja Star as he tried to sharpen it, but looked more like he was going to file all the way through it as he clenched his jaw. He had indeed seen that ship once before, it had been the ship that had taken him to Cosmo over twenty years ago. The Royal Flagship.

In another part of the city, Sarah was in her room, feeding her new rabbit. Preston had come around to work on some homework with her, to compare notes. He smiled as Sarah made a few kissy sounds at the rabbit as she fed it. He was glad to see her happy. She had been through a bit of a rough time lately with her dad being injured in the attack on the Ribbon Tree. He still hadn't been able to come home from the hospital yet, and Preston had got her the rabbit as a way to cheer her up and get her mind off things.

"Sorry about that." Sarah said as she realised that Preston was still waiting patiently for her to finish and come to work on the assignment. "Winny's just so cute that sometimes I lose track of things when I deal with her. That nose is just so adorable!"

"Yeah, it is." Preston said, his gaze never straying from Sarah. He couldn't help thinking about what his friends had been saying. Calvin and Levi had teased him about the fact he bought Sarah the rabbit, insinuating that he hadn't meant it as a gift to a friend. He didn't really think much about it, but now that they mentioned it, he did spend a lot more time around Sarah than he did anyone else on the team. They just seemed to get each other in a way that the others didn't. They had a similar sense of humour, they seemed to like a lot of the same things…was it possible they were seeing something he wasn't? Although they were friends, it wasn't as though it missed his notice that Sarah had a lot of things going for her that any guy in their right mind would find attractive. He shook his head. "So, how's your dad doing?"

"His therapy is going well, he's not in as much pain when he walks." Sarah told him. "One of the downsides of sobriety is he has to pass on a lot of meds."

"I guess that doesn't help." Preston surmised. "So…Winny? You've finally named the rabbit?"

"Yeah, I have." She told him, pulling some hair behind one of her ears as she looked at her project. "It's…um…it's short."

"Short for what?" Preston asked her. "Winnifred?"

Sarah looked to him, wondering if she should say what the name stood for. She realised he wasn't about to let it go.

"Wingardium Leviosa?" She offered. Preston's smile almost bowled her over as he pointed to her.

"You're kidding right?" He asked. "You're a fan too?"

"I…" She began, starting to think about it. As she was trying to think how to explain it, she couldn't help thinking about Hayley's grilling about how much time she spent with Preston. She did like spending time with him, and thinking about it, they did spend a lot more time with each other than they did anyone else in the group, but…dating?

She had been inspired in the name by Preston, between his love of magic, and also the fact that his own rabbit he had named Aloha Mora.

"OK, I'm a Potter-head!" She admitted, giggling. "I once did some test or other, and apparently I'm a Hufflepuff."

"Really? Hufflepuff?" He chuckled. "I was sure you'd be a Ravenclaw!"

"Hey, I'm not going to question the results!" She told him. "So, when I remembered you named your rabbit after a spell, I guess I kind of thought, what the hey? Besides, Winny's kind of cute as a nickname."

"It sure is." Preston said as they both looked to each other. There was a moment or two that passed with neither of them really knowing what to say or do. They just stared at each other. Sarah became more than a little ware of the silence, and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"Cookies!" She rushed out.

"What?" He asked her. She pulled out some drawings she had put together.

"Our business project." She told him. "I…I was thinking, kids love cookies, right? What if there was some way to make cookies healthy?"

"Don't they already have low-fat cookies?" Preston asked her.

"No, I mean…like really healthy…make them out of pretty much anything. Like…fruit and vegetables and things."

"You can really do that?" Preston asked her, shifting over on the bed to look over her shoulder at the plans.

"Well, this machine should…with a little creative baking and stuff." She said, looking to Preston as he leaned over her shoulder to see. "Well, what do you think?"

"Well, my dad made a lot of money with baked potato chips." Preston said with a shrug. "He realised a lot of people don't want to give up junk food but want to eat a little healthier."

"So, you really think this is a good idea?" She asked him.

"Hey, you came up with it, of course it's…" He stared straight into her face, before coughing a little. "I mean…yeah, I think it could work. Want to go to the workshop see if we can make a start on this?"

"Yeah, sure." Sarah answered. As she got off the bed and headed out the door, Preston started to gather up his notes. He looked to Winny, who seemed to be staring at him in a way that reminded him of Levi and Calvin.

"Oh, what would you know?" He muttered as he collected all the books they would need. "You're just a rabbit!"

Meanwhile, up on the Warrior Dome, there was a lot of activity. Slaves and Kudabots scurried around, replacing lights that hadn't been working in years, scrubbing and cleaning pretty much every surface, and in general fixing up the ship like Cosmo was planning to sell it! Wrench rushed up to Cosmo, handing him a tablet for a report.

"I've made all the preparations you asked for." He told him. "The deliveries are in; the chefs have been put on notice under pain of death that everything is to be perfect…"

"Excellent!" Cosmo said excitedly. "The ruler of the Lion Galaxy on my show again! You have no idea how excited I am to see that! It's been a long time since we've had one of the Royals…"

"Um…didn't the last ruler of the Lion Galaxy die on your show?" Wrench asked him. Cosmo just waved him off.

"Details, details, he signed the waiver, he knew what he was getting into." Cosmo said in an off-hand way. "It's not my fault he had his arms ripped off and was beaten to death with them! But it made damned good television!"

"I guess." Wrench muttered. "I would just be worried his daughter might see things differently."

"Believe me, she has more to worry about than her father's demise." Cosmo told him. "From what I hear, her succession has more than a few critics. She's agreed to do the show because there are rumblings that contenders are just looking for signs of weakness!"

"They are right to question her!" Galvanax said as he arrived. They all turned to look at him. It was rare that Galvanax would bother to show up for the arrival of a new warrior on the ship. He usually only did so when it was someone that interested him in some way, that could be a potential contender to his title. His armour had been shined up and he was wearing his title belt and a long, flowing cloak, like he was trying to impress. "From what I heard, she is nothing like her father. Now there was a true ruler."

"Champ, so good to see you turn out for the new arrival!" Cosmo stated. "Have you seen Madame Odious?"

"I haven't, I thought she was with you." He commented. "No matter, I don't need a manager to speak for me to a brat."

"Ship docking!" An announcement came over the ship's systems. Cosmo took out a breath spray and sprayed it into his mouth as they headed for the hangar. Although the Royal Flag Ship was far too large to fit into the hangar, the hangar was prepared for the arrival of their contingent via teleportation.

Arriving in the hangar, Cosmo found a long, red carpet rolled out just as he promised, with Kudabots lined up on either side in formation, over fifty on each side. In the Lion Galaxy, it wasn't just seen as prudent to meet dignitaries with a show of military force, it was seen as an insult if one didn't. It was an indication that they weren't seen as a threat and showed disrespect if they weren't met with preparations for a fight. Galvanax and Wrench flanked Cosmo as he stood waiting on the arrivals. The side of the ship was open, a forcefield allowing them to see out to where the Royal Flag Ship pulled alongside. It was gigantic, red, and built to look like a lion crouched, ready to pounce. It was lined with weapons which were most certainly not there for show. In a bright flash of light, two figures appeared at the end of the carpet.

One was a huge, powerful looking creature, almost seven feet tall, and muscularly built. It had the head of a lion, and deep, green skin. It carried the scars of many battles, the most obvious of which was one missing hand, which had been replaced with a drill weapon. His eyes were focused and darted around the room, as though sizing up everyone there. His gaze quickly settled on Galvanax.

The other looked significantly different. It was a young woman, who looked like she was in her late teens at the most, and was clad in deep red armour that looked far too large for her. A black cloak was pinned to the back of it, and the crest of the Royal Family was on the breast plate. She strode towards Cosmo, with the warrior never leaving her side. Cosmo bowed to her.

"Princess Viera, I'm so honoured to have you on our humble ship." Cosmo greeted her. "Please, if there's anything you need…"

"If there's anything I need, my bodyguard Lord Drillion will tell you." She interrupted him. Galvanax looked her up and down and sneered.

"Do you have something to say?" Lord Drillion demanded of Galvanax, stepping up closer to him. Galvanax just snorted with derision.

"I was just thinking about when her father was here." Galvanax stated.

"What about it?" Drillion asked him, standing chest-to-chest with Galvanax, glaring straight into his eyes. Galvanax stared straight back. This was something that Cosmo really didn't need, he was keen to make the most of Princess Viera's appearance on the show, the last thing he needed was the whole thing and a significant proportion of both sides being decimated by a measuring contest between Galvanax and Princess Viera's bodyguard. Viera just sighed.

"Settle down Lord Drillion." She told him. "We've travelled a long way, I want to rest."

"Ah, a good idea." Cosmo answered. "We want you to be your best for when you take on the Rangers…"

"My father paid the price for taking on an opponent without some research." Viera said as she eyed Galvanax up and down. "I wish to see the Rangers in action."

"Of course, I'll give you full access to footage of their fights…"

"I need to see them for myself, up close." She interrupted him. "You will send a warrior against them so that I may observe."

"You…you want me to…"

"I will pay you the man's worth." Viera told him. "Best case scenario, your man wins and you have no need of us. Worst case…I pay you the man's value and finish them myself."

"You want us to waste…?"

"Of course, Your Highness, it will be arranged." Cosmo assured her. "Wrench, set something up, will you?"

"Good, I expect you to let me know when they are ready to go." Viera answered. "In the meantime, I would like to be shown to my quarters."

"You heard her!" Drillion snapped, powering up his weapon. Cosmo interjected himself between both sides.

"Of course, of course, just follow this Kudabot." He told them. Viera followed the Kudabot, but Drillion stayed, staring down Galvanax. She just looked back.

"DRILLION!"

"This man is in my way." He stated. Galvanax didn't move an inch. Viera just sighed.

"Drillion, come at once!" She snapped. "You will get your fill of battle soon enough!"

"As you wish!" Drillion answered, stepping around Galvanax. Although he was made to step aside by his mistress' order, he made sure to bump shoulders with the champion, letting him know he wasn't backing down. Galvanax turned as they walked away.

"Champ…" Galvanax didn't stick around to hear what Cosmo had to say though, face-palming him out of the way as he left to go back to his quarters. Wrench steadied Cosmo as he straightened himself out.

"You want me to send a monster?" Wrench asked. "There isn't another broadcast until…"

"I said I'd send a monster. I didn't say what CALIBER of monster." Cosmo stated. "The Princess is willing to pay his worth, and I'm not getting any revenue from it, find someone, anyone. Shoe-string budget."

"Shoe string?" Wrench asked. "I…think I have an idea."

"Good." Cosmo answered. "Have him ready to go in the morning. Contact me when you have your loser. In the meantime, I need to go keep our Royal guest in the manner to which she is accustomed."

 **A/N:** Hey folks! Sorry about the long delay, I've had serious computer problems. By which I mean I ended up needing to replace the damn thing! Anyway, now I'm back and hoping to play some serious catch-up to make up for the long absence. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	16. Dark Match

Princess Viera was led to her assigned quarters and dismissed the Kudabot that had been sent to lead her there. She had been treated thus far with all the pomp and ceremony that she would have expected from her station, but she was already growing weary of Cosmo's false pandering, knowing that he would not care in the slightest if she was slaughtered on live television just as her father had been.

Princess Viera was young, very young for someone to ascend to the throne in the Lion Galaxy. While younger monarchs had existed in the galaxy's history, the monarch's reign lasted only as long as their life and as long as they could hold power. While some monarchs had reigned for decades and others only minutes and seconds, the average length of a reign was only about seven years.

She pulled off her helmet and placed it on a table, taking her hair down to relieve her a little. Her hair was long and bundling it up inside her helmet made it very hot, itchy and uncomfortable. As she laid it down, Drillion, who she had almost forgotten was with her due to his silence, spoke up.

"Your highness, you should not remove your armour." He warned her. Viera just turned and glared at him.

"It is my place to decide…"

"Your highness, your enemies will not hesitate to take advantage of any moment of vulnerability. You must be strong and ready in every moment of the day…"

"Galvanax will NOT murder me in my bedroom!" She put down flatly.

"But your highness…"

"You are my bodyguard! Not my advisor, not my counsellor and certainly not my father!" She interrupted him sharply. "Do not forget your place!"

"Of course, your highness." Drillion said, looking to her. It took him a moment to bow to acknowledge her station and her order, something Viera had noticed ever since her ascension. Drillion had been unbendingly loyal to her father, but since his death and since Drillion's service passed to her, she noticed that he was a little more free to question and ponder her orders.

"Leave me." She told him. "Find somewhere to stay, I will call upon you if you are needed."

"Your High…" He was about to question her insistence that he leave her alone but seeing her raising a finger to indicate she wasn't kidding, he just bowed and left the room, sealing the door behind her. Viera just groaned aloud as she engaged the locking mechanism, before turning and starting the long and laborious process of removing her Lion Fire Armour.

If her helmet was uncomfortable, her armour could be borderline torturous to wear. Even though she had been granted it upon her ascension to the throne, practically taking it straight from her father's corpse the moment it was returned to them after his demise, she had never felt comfortable wearing it. She looked in the wardrobe for some nightwear, finding that Cosmo had provided her with a fine selection, made in styles and from materials from the length and breadth of the universe. She found a robe that suited her, and changed into it, allowing her to feel for the first time since she arrived like she was able to relax.

She didn't know why she was here. She knew the PRACTICAL reason, she was here to fight, but she wasn't sure why she should, or why exactly these Rangers should be destroyed, but she knew that it was a demonstration of strength for her people.

Her father was a despot, that much was clear. She loved him as her father, but as a man, as a person, he was a dictator of unimaginable cruelty and brutality. Even among the warlike people of the Lion Galaxy, he had been considered bloodthirsty and that was taken as strength. He had respect and fear everywhere he went, and even among his people his military campaigns were considered meat grinders. He had once wiped out an entire planet because one unit they had sent him for a campaign had not stood to attention when he went to congratulate them after a successful raid. It didn't matter to him that there were only three members of the unit left, one of whom was hanging on by a thread while the other two were exhausted by days of combat and burying their friends. That they didn't stand as soon as they saw him was seen by him as reason enough to make their whole world pay for their insolence.

Viera had grown up in this environment and had watched for years as he ruled in this manner. For her eighth birthday she had been given her first slave. For her tenth, her father gave her the 'gift' of a lesson in how to deal with traitors, when a rebel group that sought to overthrow him had been captured. He had put them all in coffins with life support systems that would keep them alive for as long as he saw fit to feed them intravenously and buried them in concrete alive. He had set up video monitors that fed into cameras in the coffins so that he could see them alive in those coffins and check to ensure that they were still suffering the cost of defiance. She wasn't sure whether or not they were still alive in there, she had been unable to bring herself to go back.

When she ascended the throne, there were already questions over her suitability for the role. People didn't see a new ruler, they saw a young girl, barely a woman. They saw a small, frail looking girl, that looked as terrified as she was weak. Her reign had already lasted longer than some had predicted, but that was largely because of holdover subjects from her father's reign who crushed a few attempts on her life, though it seemed even they were starting to wonder if she was worth the trouble. Viera needed to prove that she was strong and knowing that her father had demonstrated his power on Galaxy Warriors, she sought to do the same. Why fight wars when she could spread the word of her strength with only a single fight?

Her father had appeared on the show a number of times in his reign. He was almost as addicted to the show as he was to war, and that had ended up being what cost him in the end. He had sought to cement his legacy by being both the ruler of the Lion Galaxy and also the Galaxy Warriors Champion. It was the latter that cost him, and in his championship bout, he had fallen short with fatal results. Viera had little interest in taking things that far, but a strong showing against a prominent opponent…or opponents, would be enough to silence a number of her detractors.

She had heard of Power Rangers. Even though she was not from Earth, their reputation had spread far. There were Rangers on other worlds, like Aquitar and Triforia, but even the Rangers of Earth had their reputation. In her lifetime, they had defeated numerous high-profile warriors from the stars. Lothor, The Feercats, The Warstar, The Armada…the Rangers had destroyed them all. She had no quarrel with the Rangers herself, she didn't even really know who they were or why they fought, but as much as the fight would be pointless, perhaps with one fight, she could save herself a lifetime of war and get on with ruling the Lion Galaxy in a way that could lead it forward in a meaningful way. That was worth the sacrifice of a couple of lives wasn't it?

She lay back on her bed, and turned on the viewing screen, using the handset to pull up the recordings she had requested. Pulling the covers over herself, she watched the footage available for some background on her prey. In the morning, she would get a chance to see them in action up close. When she took on the Rangers, they universe would be watching, and they would all know that Princess Viera was worthy of her throne.

In another part of the Warrior Dome, Wrench brought Cosmo to one of the many gyms. Cosmo had asked him to get him a low-key talent, someone that he wouldn't care about losing in battle to the Rangers since he was not going to be broadcasting this battle. The next battle was going to be for an audience of one. Princess Viera had asked to see the Rangers in battle up close, and to do that she was happy to pay him the value of a warrior to see it happen.

Of course, "paying the value" meant a lot of things had to be taken into account. For one thing, different fighters had different values. Their contracts were a good starting point, some would demand a much higher appearance fee than others. Especially those low on the ladder would take on incredible risks for very little pay. It wasn't unknown for some fighters early in their career to spend more travelling to the Warrior Dome than they got paid! Those that moved in often had to go through their first four or five fights to pay off the move. A huge number of them secured other employment over and above fighting to pay their bills.

Their appearance fee though wasn't the only factor in determining their value. Merchandise, promotion, name value, all of those were big things. There was little point in losing a big name in a pointless match that few would see. Ripcon's pay-per-view event had netted Cosmo a fortune, which was the only reason he didn't really worry too much about his loss. Ideally, he was looking for someone whose loss would cost him virtually nothing, so that when Viera paid out the contract he would be at a net gain overall.

"This better be good Wrench." Cosmo told him.

"Trust me, you will NOT be sorry!" Wrench told him. "I have found the most worthless monster I could find!"

"Well, let's not keep me waiting!" Cosmo rushed out. Wrench took hold of the door and opened it, showing Cosmo in. He was completely unprepared for what he found inside.

"Bend and thrust, bend and thrust! Come on you weaklings!" A heavily accented voice called out as everyone in the room performed tuck jumps on his command. "I want to see some sweat! I want to see pain! Come on you flabby losers, that gut won't shift itself!"

"This is…" Cosmo started to say, pointing at the room and looking confused. "You brought me to some jazzercize club?"

"Personal training session!" Wrench said. "The class is widely considered the most sadistic and toughest health club in the colony!"

"So you want me to send what? Some overweight office worker against the Rangers?" Cosmo asked him.

"No, I expect you to send him." Wrench told him. He pointed to the monster on the stage, screaming at the class in his ridiculous accent.

"Come on fatty! Let's see that body move! I want you to feel the burn!" He screamed at them. "No, that's not right! Do it like THIS! Put some effort into it!"

"You…you are kidding right?" Cosmo asked him. Wrench pulled out his tablet and pulled up the file for the monster.

"Shoespike, he signed a contract with us three years ago, and so far, he still hasn't had his first match." Wrench told him. "He's been here working as a personal trainer to make ends meet while he waits on that magical phone call."

"I can see why." Cosmo said, looking horrified. "I know most of my warriors aren't exactly brain surgeons, but he's a muscle-headed moron! He…"

"He's strong, he's fast, and more importantly he's dumb enough to take on the fight for the price we'll ask him to do it for." Wrench explained, elaborating on his reasoning. "He looks the part, so the Rangers won't suspect we're just throwing them a loser."

"He looks strong, but the Rangers will mow straight through a bruiser." Cosmo answered. "I need something unique to make sure they don't realise what we're doing."

"Shoespike!" Wrench called out, grabbing the monster's attention. The monster looked up. He started jumping up and down excitedly as he saw Cosmo standing in his gym.

"Oh my…this is it! This is my big moment! It's finally come!" Shoespike called out excitedly. "Mr Cosmo, I'm glad you got my tapes and finally came!"

Cosmo looked to Wrench who just nodded. Shoespike had indeed sent a number of audition tapes, at least three a week, but of course Cosmo hardly ever opened his own mail. Normally production would go through the mail to determine what mail was potentially harmful and what was a waste of his time before sending through the rest.

"Of course!" Cosmo told him. "Now my boy, I have to say, we are very interested in you, so much so we have a very special slot for you. We want you to take on a match tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow? But that's not broadcast day!" Shoespike whined.

"Well, of course, we don't broadcast all the matches, we always put new talent through a few dark matches to ensure they're right for the cameras." Cosmo told him. "Of course, if you do want to wait…"

"NO!" Shoespike yelled, waving frantically. "No, of course not! I…I'll do it! No one works harder than me! I'm match fight and fighting shape! I could take on anyone right now!"

"Tomorrow will be fine." Cosmo told him. "Though I do wonder, what do you do that's special?"

"Special?" He asked. "You haven't heard about my trophies?"

"Um…no." Cosmo answered. "What do your past accomplishments have to do with anything?"

"I'll show you what I mean!" Shoespike told him, looking to a couple of his students. "You two, race me, one lap around the track right now! If either of you win, you never pay dues again!"

The students lined up on the start line with him, at which Shoespike stood, looking almost uninterested. He called for them to begin, but he waited a few seconds, letting them get a head start before running after them.

"Why…why is he racing them?" Cosmo asked.

"Just watch." Wrench told him. The race continued and Shoespike rushed past the two students, leaving them far behind in his wake. By the time he got to the finish line, he was a good few meters ahead of them both. He turned around and pointed to both of them.

"LOSERS!" He laughed out loud. "And there's no trophy for second place! Of course, there is for the winner!"

In a bright flash of light, the two students disappeared, and in their place, a couple of trophies appeared. Cosmo looked a little surprised as Shoespike picked them up, dancing in a gleeful display of poor sportsmanship.

"I also took the liberty of checking on Summer Cove. You'll never guess what they're doing there tomorrow." Wrench said to him, showing him an advert on the tablet.

"Charity fun run!" Cosmo said with a smile. "Wrench, sometimes I truly think you've missed your calling! Shoespike! Come with me! We just need to do a little something about your appearance."

"My…my appearance?" Shoespike asked.

"Well yes, you want to look good for your new career, don't you?" Cosmo asked. "Think of it as…the mother of all extreme makeovers!"

Meanwhile, down on Earth, in the home of Principal Hastings, Madame Odious was enjoying the benefits of having somewhere quiet, out of the way, and beyond the reach of surveillance to relax. As much as the main reason for taking the Principal captive and keeping her as a prisoner in her own home was largely just a way to keep close to the Rangers, to guide and influence their movements without them even realising it, she did have to admit that it was nice to have somewhere she could go just to be out of reach of the others.

The Gold Ranger's escape had cost her the anonymity of her secret lab. The Astro Zord's blast had opened up the network of tunnels and the lab to open view, meaning that now she could no longer hide there. She had to abandon the projects she had there in order to keep her ambitions of leadership and her schemes from being found out.

She pulled another 'smoothie' out of the fridge and headed down into the basement, where her prisoner was waiting. Principal Hastings by now no longer even knew how long she had been there. Being chained up in the basement with no windows left her no reference to the passage of time. Exhaustion came quickly due to malnutrition and mistreatment meaning she could no longer even rely on when she slept as a way to tell. She would often pass out for some time, only to wake up later just because her body no longer had the energy.

Odious came over to her, looking at the pathetic form of her prisoner and handed her the smoothie. Despite the disgusting flavour, she forced it down, knowing it was the only thing that her captor would allow her to eat.

"My infiltrator is gone; those Rangers are more troublesome than I first thought." Odious told her. "I'm afraid I'll have to keep you here a little longer. I was hoping that I wouldn't need you anymore, but now…now I'm afraid I have to rethink a few things."

"Please, I don't know anything about the Rangers." Hastings pleaded with Odious. "I didn't even know they were in the school. I have no idea who they are or where…"

"Well, it seems you aren't a very good Principal, then are you? You don't know what's going on under your own nose." Madame Odious scorned her. "Now, how about you tell me about this charity fun run tomorrow?"

"What…what about it?" She asked. "We do it every year. It's a run. What is there to explain?"

"This charity thing." Madame Odious told her. "You mean people just GIVE their money away to others and receive nothing in return?"

"Yes, that's what charity is!" Principal Hastings stated. "Some people aren't as fortunate as others, so those with a little extra to spare sometimes give it to them to help them out."

"Hm…you humans are a curious breed, aren't you?" She asked, pulling up a chair. "So, why would you want to help those beneath you?"

"Because not everyone is a sick, twisted freak that delights in tormenting others!" Principal Hastings snapped at her. "You never know when your luck is going to change and you'll be the one begging for help."

"Now that…that sounds like a threat." Madame Odious cackled. "Who do you think is going to help you? That mechanic you hired? The one that kept asking me to go to some stupid museum?"

"Mick?" She asked. "What…what does he have to do with this?"

"You don't even know about…? Oh, that is just TOO precious! You know for an educator you're not really that bright!" She chuckled. "Thanks for that, you've just given me the best laugh I've had in ages!"

With that, she shut off the light and headed upstairs, before locking the basement door shut, once more plunging Principal Hastings into darkness.


	17. Not So Fun Run

Mrs Finch came into Levi's classroom, finding him lying on the desk. There weren't any classes today, the charity fun run which was held every year assembled right outside the school. It had been a long-standing tradition that the students were given the time off to participate if they wanted to. The staff, while not necessarily taking things that seriously, normally put in at least one team for the relay as well in order to raise funds for local charities. This year, the volunteers for the staff team were Mrs Finch, the English teacher Professor Warwick and the Gym teacher Mrs Edwards.

Levi was snoring as he lay across the desk. She had to stifle a laugh seeing him there. Since she had known him, she had known Levi to be energetic and active, so it was a little amusing to find him catching a nap in his classroom. If it had been a normal day, he'd have had the Freshman class, and there was no way in hell anyone could have slept through that. She shook him at which he woke with a start, snapping upright. He looked to her in confusion.

"What…what the…"

"Long night?" She chuckled. Levi yawned as he rubbed his eyes.

"You could say that." He commented. "I haven't slept too well lately."

"Really?" She asked him, now no longer looking amused, but instead looking more worried. "Is everything alright?"

"I should be fine." Levi told her.

"Are you sure?" She asked him. Levi looked to her and realised she wasn't likely to leave this alone. He wasn't sure what to tell her, but he didn't really want to just brush her off when she was trying to help.

"I…I've been having some strange dreams." He told her.

"Strange dreams?" She asked him. "Strange how?"

"Well, it's hard to explain." Levi didn't really know how to explain the nature of his new dreams. He wasn't even sure they were dreams, in fact, he was quickly coming to the conclusion they weren't. He had been having trouble with his memory ever since he had been kidnapped by Madame Odious. He and his friends had theorised that while he was in her lab, she had been manipulating his memories, re-working his mind in an attempt to turn him against the Rangers. He had already claimed the Gold Power Star before she took him, so it made sense that he would make a powerful weapon if he could be convinced to fight on her side. They didn't know exactly what she had done to his brain, but they knew it did affect his memories. "I think its memories from when I was a kid."

"A kid?" She asked him. She could see the way he was looking at her. "I minored in psychology in college. You were saying memories from when you were a kid? Is that unusual?"

"Well, kind of." Levi told her. He didn't really know what to tell her, for obvious reasons he couldn't really disclose too much about what was going on, but as he looked at her, he felt like perhaps he needed to talk to someone. He didn't want to worry his friends by explaining how little he could rely on his own memories. His life as Levi Weston, after he had been taken in by the Weston family, seemed to be the most complete memories he had. There were a few memories occasionally that got mixed up, like when he was sure there was a restaurant in the city that he had gone to that turned out to have been an office building for at least a decade and suchlike, but for the most part, he remembered everything after he had been found busking by The General and taken into his house.

It was what happened before then he had real problems with. He had surmised he had been on the streets, but other than that, he didn't know. It was like before that day he didn't exist. His childhood, his parents, even his own name he didn't know. He had no idea how he ended up on the streets.

"I know it's strange, but…I was adopted, but before then I don't really remember much of what happened to me." He told her.

"Before The General took you in?" She asked him. Levi just looked at her. Mrs Finch started to shift a little uncomfortably. "Well, um…everyone else seemed to know who you were and I felt like I was the only one that didn't, so…I may have checked your autobiography out of the library."

"That's just it though, the stuff that's in there, I know, but other stuff I don't really remember." He admitted to her. She took a deep breath.

"Well, you said you were on the streets before then, and the book said you were found when you were twelve." She reminded him. "I'm no therapist or anything, but I remember from my psych classes that sometimes trauma causes people to repress memories. Maybe something happened to you that made you kind of shut that part of your life down."

"I guess you could say that." Levi answered. He didn't know what to make of the new memories, they were still fuzzy and unclear, like a movie that was out of focus and with the soundtrack warped. Ever since his battle with 'Aiden', it seemed like the shock he had received seemed to start to open up parts of his memory that he hadn't before.

"So, what are you seeing in these new memories?" She asked him.

"It's really hard to explain." He answered. "I see a man, a man wearing black, and another kid…I think maybe they're my real family."

"Your real family?" She asked him. "How much have you seen?"

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Principal Hastings came in. She was wearing a pair of jogging pants and a t-shirt. She came in.

"Mr Weston, I hear you're taking part in the relay race today." She greeted him. "I was wondering if perhaps you'd consider forming a team."

"Well, the thing is…I've already joined a team." He told her. "I'm teaming with Brody and Calvin."

"Really? Two of your students?" She asked, coming to his side and draping herself over his shoulders. "I would have thought you'd prefer to be on a team with some adults. I remember we made quite a team when I hired you."

Levi saw the look on Mrs Finch's face and looked a little alarmed. Mrs Finch just coughed and got up from her chair.

"Well, I should probably be going…"

"Mrs Finch." Levi said as he got up to follow her into the hall. When he caught up to her, he put a hand on her shoulder, turning her around. "Look, that…that wasn't what it sounded like."

"Really? What did it sound like?" Mrs Finch asked him. "You know what? Don't answer that. You're both adults, what you do is really absolutely no business of mine."

"But…but we aren't…"

"Levi, it's fine, like I said, it's none of my business." She told him. "I should be going. I need to warm up for the race. I'll see you at the finish line…if you aren't too tired."

With that, she left to go back to her own classroom. Levi returned to his class, to find that Principal Randall had also left. He just sighed and leaned back against the wall.

"This is why they say never shit where you work." He muttered.

Elsewhere on the school grounds, Ellie was just pulling into the parking lot, bringing Sarah to the school. She looked across at her daughter, who was a lot quieter and more subdued than usual.

"Well, you're here." Ellie told her. Sarah didn't move though. Ellie didn't really know what the problem was, one of the issues was that Sarah wasn't exactly the most open with her problems. While she was a very caring and empathetic person herself, she never really liked burdening others with her problems. Ellie did worry at times that wasn't healthy and that she could take on a little too much. Sarah just nodded, but still didn't seem particularly quick to go. Ellie looked to her and smiled. "You know, I do have to get to your dad's therapy session."

Sarah just nodded, but still didn't seem like she was going anywhere. Ellie just sighed.

"Are you feeling alright?" She asked. "I mean, if you're not feeling well, I'm sure they'll understand."

"I'm fine mom." Sarah muttered.

"Well that was convincing." Ellie teased her daughter gently. "Come on, I'm sure your friends are already warming up. You don't want to let Brody and Levi…"

"I'm teaming with Hayley and Preston mom." Sarah reminded her. Ellie smiled a little hearing this.

"Oh, you're teaming with Preston, are you?" She asked her. "So, this is yet another thing you're teaming with him on?"

"He's…he's a really good friend mom." Sarah answered.

"Let's see, you teamed up with him for his magic shows." Ellie stated. "And you're working on that business project together…"

"Mom."

"You two did seem to be having a really great time together." Ellie continued. Sarah just settled into the seat.

"Well, yeah, we have been spending a lot of time together." Sarah told her. "You're not the only one that's said it. Some of the other guys have been saying something similar."

"So, is there something going on there?" Ellie asked her. Sarah just looked a little uncomfortable.

"I don't know…maybe?" Sarah asked. Ellie smirked as she heard this. "Mom, we're friends, we get on great, we really like hanging out together…"

"You know who else could say the same thing?" Ellie asked her. "Hayley and Calvin."

"But that's different, they've been dating for ages and…"

"And before that they were friends, weren't they?" Ellie asked her. Sarah groaned.

"Yes." She answered. "I don't know, I mean…I guess Preston is kind of cute. He's kind and he's great fun to be around. He's a complete dork so he totally gets me…"

"Well, would it really be such a bad thing?" Ellie asked her.

"Mom, I like him, but I don't know if I, well…LIKE him like him!" She continued. "Aw man, this is so messed up! I didn't even think about this until Hayley had to go and open her big yap! Why is this so confusing?"

"Sarah, there isn't much that confuses you, so maybe when something does it's something you might want to think about a little." Ellie told her. "You know, back when I was in High School, I was really good friends with a guy that used to help me with my homework. English especially. He had this great way of thinking of movie scenes that explained how scenes in books were like those scenes and it made things easy to understand. We used to go to the food court to do homework all the time, so one time I just asked if one time we just put the books away and turn a study date into just…a date."

"So?" Sarah asked her. "What happened?"

"Well…I married him." Ellie said with a shrug. Sarah just slumped.

"You know, that really isn't that helpful." Sarah told her. Ellie just shrugged.

"Sorry." Ellie answered. "But that doesn't escape the point, if you are thinking about this, maybe it'd be worth figuring out what exactly it is."

"Thanks mom." Sarah said, not sounding at all convinced this was helpful at all. She got out of the car, waving to her mom as she pulled away, heading for the hospital. As she turned, she saw Preston getting out of his dad's limo, and waving to her.

"Hey, Sarah!" He called over. Sarah forced a smile and ran over to greet him. "I got your number!"

"Yeah, you do…I gave it to you when we met…"

"I meant…I got your number." Preston clarified, showing her the sticker that had her number on it. "I can just…"

As he held it up to her abdomen, about to press it into place, he suddenly became very aware of the fact he was about to touch Sarah. It was something that hadn't really crossed his mind before, hell, the first day he met her he had spent a lot of time with his arms wrapped around her…of course that was because she was racing at breakneck speed towards a monster with him on her hoverboard but…for some reason now he was very aware of the fact he was going to touch her. Instead, he just held the number up for her.

"I got it from the sign-up desk." He told her. "There you go."

"Thanks." Sarah answered with an awkward smile. "So…let's go find the others."

In another part of the school grounds, Victor was preparing for the fun run, though his idea of preparation was very different from everyone else's. While everyone else was warming up, stretching off, or getting their equipment ready, he was…

"Where is that stylist?" He complained as he paced around impatiently. "I told her to meet me right here!"

"Maybe they got caught in traffic?" Monty suggested.

"At ten in the morning?" Victor snapped. "Today's the day Monty, today is the day I win my fiftieth trophy! I can just feel it! I want to look good for the newspaper when the mayor gives me that trophy!"

"Victor, how are you going to win the trophy?" Monty asked him.

"Monty, I have the school cross-country record!" Victor reminded him. "Do you really think anyone here has a chance of beating me?"

"Well…that guy looks pretty fit." He told him, pointing to a guy who was doing burpees to warm up. Victor couldn't remember ever seeing him around before, but like a lot of other races, there were people coming from out of town to take part. Many serious runners would use small-town races to keep in shape and warm up for bigger events like state marathons and the likes. The guy was screaming self-motivation phrases as he thrashed through his exercises. He looked like he was an action figure, muscled in a way that didn't look like it should be impossible for a human being. "Maybe he's a pro…"

"Monty, he's clearly a muscle-head. All that extra mass just slows you down and creates wind-resistance." Vince said with a smile, gesturing to himself. "Now this, this is the way it should be. Sleek, toned, stream-lined, the perfect combination of speed and power."

"Well yes, but…" Monty started to say.

"Go look for that stylist, would you?" Victor asked him. "She probably got lost in the rear parking area."

"I'll be right back Victor." Monty told him, before running off in search of the elusive stylist.

Around the rear of the school, Princess Viera teleported down, looking around to ensure she hadn't been seen arriving. She had set up this whole thing so that she would get a chance to see the Rangers in action. Her people did look a lot like the people of Earth, so without her armour it wasn't too hard to blend in. She did have to do a little research to find out what they wore, and had ended up with a green t-shirt, bearing the name of some group that she understood to be a band of some description and tight blue denims that for some reason she didn't understand were torn. Where she came from, if something was torn or damaged in any way they would repair or replace them, but for some reason she had been informed that humans actually thought that wearing clothing that had been torn looked fashionable. She straightened out her outfit and sighed.

"Humans." She muttered, before beginning to seek out her targets. She had committed their appearance to memory, and she could hear even from this far away that the main commotion seemed to be coming from the other side of the building. She started to make her way there, not even noticing as Monty was heading the other way, looking for the stylists that Victor had hired.

"Carol!" He called out, starting to look for the van. "Carol!"

He gulped as he heard the roar of an engine. He wasn't much of a mechanic, but he would know that engine tone anywhere. Ace's car was so heavily modified and customised that it sounded more like a jet engine or a small train than a car. He turned around to see his car rolling towards him.

Monty started to back up as Ace drove the car straight towards him, slowly, menacingly, and in little jumps. Ace's friends started to laugh as Ace terrorised his long-time victim.

"There's no one around here Monty!" He laughed. "It'd look just like an accident!"

Monty backed up quickly, tripping over his own feet and landing on the ground. He continued to scoot backwards away, whimpering as Ace came closer and closer. He eventually ended up running against a wall, with nowhere else to go. He held his hand up over his face and heard the engine roar once more, but it was followed very quickly by the screech of brakes applied very harshly. He looked up and instead of the car, the first thing he saw was a girl's body, standing directly in front of him, facing the car.

"Whoa, what the hell?" Ace called out. "Are you nuts? I almost ran over you!"

"So, it would have been alright to run over this boy instead?" Viera responded, standing defiantly before them. "Back up!"

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Ace's girlfriend Cherry yelled at her.

"I think I'm someone with a little better taste in friends." Viera sneered at her. "Leave at once!"

"If you think for one minute…"

"Yo, Ace!" One of the others said, pointing to a van that was just rolling into the parking lot. Realising that now there were far too many witnesses, and a simple game of terrorising Monty could turn quickly into a vehicular assault charge, Ace just sighed and put his car into reverse.

"I'm bored of this anyway." Ace stated. "Come on guys, let's get a decent parking spot, watch the start of the nerd stampede!"

As he rolled away, Viera kept an eye on him until he left, before turning around to where Monty was still cowering on the ground.

"He's gone." She told him, offering him a hand. "Here."

Monty looked up at this mystery girl, who stood surrounded by a halo of sunlight, lit up like an angel. He had a goofy smile on his face as he took her hand. She seized him in a surprisingly powerful grip and yanked him to his feet almost without any assistance at all from Monty. He was on his feet so quickly he staggered a little. He stared at his saviour, stammering, trying to find words for her.

Viera looked him up and down, seeing how small and skinny this kid was. It was no wonder Ace victimised him. He looked like he'd snap in half in a stiff breeze. Everything she knew told her that might made right, and that if he wanted to survive, it was up to him to become stronger, to make himself less of a victim.

She didn't understand what made her turn back when she saw the other boy threaten him with his vehicle. Things like that happened where she was from all the time. No one owned anything that they weren't strong enough to take or to fight to keep. If you wanted the largest share, you needed to earn it. This kid looked more like the one that would get the leftover scraps that fell off the table. So why did she feel like she should stop the other kid?

"Don't be a victim all your life." She told Monty, before turning and walking away. Watching her go, it took a moment before he could come up with anything even remotely sensible to say.

"Thank you!" He called out, waving after her. "Who…whoever you are."

"Monty?" He heard someone else say. He turned to look at her, seeing a woman carrying a case. She had a couple of others with her carrying a folding chair and other supplies.

"Uh…yes."

"I'm Carol." She introduced herself. "So, where's the client?"

"Victor!" He yelled as he realised that he had almost completely forgotten why he was in the rear car park in the first place. "Um…yes, he's just this way!"

"I told you we should have parked around the front." Another of the stylists grumbled as they picked up their gear and followed Monty around the school.


	18. Substitute Runner

Victor was still pacing when Monty came towards him, looking like he was a million miles away. He had a strange smile on his face. Some women were following him, carrying a bunch of equipment, including a folding chair. Victor threw up his hands as he saw them.

"Finally!" He commented as he saw them. "I was beginning to think you'd never get here! Good work Monty."

Monty sighed and something completely unrecognisable as any human language came from his mouth. Victor just looked at him.

"Set up just here." He told the stylists, before looking to Monty. "What's with you?"

Monty just sighed and stared off into space. Victor just shook his head and got into the chair.

"Alright, we don't have long, but it looks like this shouldn't take long." One of the stylists said to him. "A trim and the manicure, right?"

"That should be good." Victor told her. He looked back to Monty, who had picked up a flower and was busy pulling petals off it, mumbling to himself. He furrowed his brows.

"Seriously, what the hell is with you?" Victor asked him. "You haven't made this little sense since you learned Dothraki!"

"I met someone." He sighed.

"Well, you're bound to meet people there are tons of people here!" Victor stated. He saw the way Monty was acting and the penny dropped. He smiled. "Wait…was this someone a girl?"

"Yeah." He responded wistfully. "The most beautiful girl I've ever seen!"

"Well now we're talking! Way to go my man!" Victor congratulated him. He was genuinely happy for Monty. He knew the kid found it difficult at times around people. Victor was his only friend. Most of the other kids didn't really know what to make of him. Those that knew him from Middle School were still a little freaked out around him given the bombing incident. While the school did all they could to cover the incident up and keep names and details under wraps, the fact there had been an explosion from a locker and Monty was suspended for longer than any other student in the school's history made it pretty easy for most to put two and two together. Others that hadn't known him that long were either freaked out by how smart he was and got jealous or they took one look at his clothes, his hair cut and his glasses and wrote him off as a nerd that spent all his time in his mom's basement. "So, what's she like?"

"She's…amazing!" He replied. She's pretty and kind…"

"Well that's great!" Victor answered. "Did you ask her out?"

"Um…no." Monty answered.

"Well, does she go to our school?" Victor asked. Monty just shrugged. "Well…do you have her number? E-mail? Twitter?" Monty shook his head.

"I…kind of didn't get a chance to ask." He admitted. "I…don't even know her name."

"Wow…you are NOT good at this!" Victor teased him. "You know, I find your chances with the ladies increase by a significant margin if you at least ask their name."

Monty just stared at him.

"Well…what are you waiting for? Go and find her!" Victor told him, waving him off with his one free hand while the stylist worked on the other. Monty just ran off in search of the mystery girl while Victor smiled.

"My boy is finally growing up!" Victor said proudly. "Hey, careful! Don't you have a finer emery board?"

Meanwhile, Calvin was just heading to the sign-in table as the crowds started to gather. He was almost knocked down as Principal Hastings barged past him.

"Hey, Principal Hastings, I didn't know you were…" His words tailed off as she ignored him. He just looked curiously after her. She was with two guys, both of whom looked athletic, but never said a word. They also both looked identical, making him suspect they were twins. He stared after her for a moment.

"I wonder who those guys were." He commented, before shrugging and going to the sign in table. He put down the forms for the two teams. "Alright, two teams to sign in, one team is myself, Brody Romero and Levi Weston, and the other is Hayley Foster, Sarah Thompson and Preston Tien."

"Brody…oh, the plagiarist." Tom said as he came to the table, checking on the form. He looked at it, checking it out. "I hope he doesn't think he can cheat this time."

"Tom? What…what are you even doing here?" Calvin asked.

"Our record company is very committed to charity work. My dad was always about paying it forward when things are going well for you, and life has been pretty good to me." Tom told him. "Think of what you can do for others, not just about yourself."

"Look man, I don't know what happened about that song. Brody swears to me his dad always told him it was his song." Calvin answered.

"Yeah, because cheats have never lied about being cheats." Tom answered him, picking up two batons and handing them to Calvin. "Just tell Brody that I'm going to be watching…closely!"

"I will." Calvin said as he held up the batons and walked away. He shook his head as he headed towards his friends. He liked Levi a lot, and for him, he was willing to give Tom a pass, but he didn't like that he was singling Brody out like this. Brody was a lot of things, and being a ninja, deceit and misdirection were skills he had developed, but he had never lied to his friends. If Brody insisted that his dad had always told him that he wrote the song, Calvin had no reason to believe any different. Whether or not Dane had gotten the song from someone else though…that much was a different matter, but for Tom to single out Brody as some kind of liar or plagiarist because he had in good faith believed his dad had written his family song just seemed like a dick move to him. "Jerk." He muttered under his breath.

As Calvin headed towards his friends, he could see that the Mayor was already beginning to make the announcements.

"As Mayor of Summer Cove, I am delighted to welcome you to the lake sunshine fun-athalon! Let's raise lots of money to keep our lake sunshine clean and beautiful for generations to come!" The mayor announced as Calvin found his friends gathered near a table. "And don't forget to say hello to the lake's mascot, Bubbles!"

"Hello Bubbles!" Preston said, leaning over and tapping the glass. Sarah was just standing with her arms folded.

"I just don't get it, why is a goldfish the mascot for a lake?" She asked. "That lake is salt water. A goldfish is a fresh water fish. If Bubbles went in that lake he'd die."

"I…don't think you're meant to take it that seriously." Preston chuckled. "I mean, if you think about it, this isn't even Bubbles. How long does a goldfish live? This would have to be like…Bubbles the eight hundred and fifty ninth or something like that."

"Yeah, he's also really not keen on you tapping the glass like that." Hayley told him. Preston just looked to her.

"He's not?" He asked her.

"His exact words are, 'does this asshole have any idea how loud that is in here'?" She informed him. Preston just cleared his throat and stood up.

"Um…yeah, sorry about that Bubbles." He answered. Calvin came across with the batons.

"Alright guys, I've got you all signed in and ready to go." Calvin told them. "Hayley and Sarah, you're on the green team with Preston."

"Really? It had to be green?" Sarah asked.

"Apparently Principal Hastings already has pink." Calvin informed her as he handed his girlfriend the green baton. "Besides, I figured the best way to avoid fights was to pick colours that don't correspond to our Ranger colours. That's why Brody, Levi and I are the Orange team."

"You are aware that's Red and Yellow right?" Levi chuckled. "Say, what was Tom saying? It looked like you two were talking for a while."

"Oh…um…" Calvin stammered, trying to think of what to say. "He was just saying hi and wishing us well on the race."

"Yeah, I'll believe that in a hurry." Brody grumbled. "He doesn't need to worry, I'm not planning on cheating here just like I didn't cheat at the talent contest."

"Cheating?" Levi asked. "Did I miss something?"

"It's…a long story." Brody assured him. Just then, they heard a roar of an engine that made them all jump into a guarding position. It sounded like a rocket ship, and they were convinced that one of the Warrior Dome's warriors had come down to cause trouble, but they all breathed a sigh of relief as they saw Ace and his friends roll into the parking lot.

"It's alright, it's just Ace's car." Hayley commented. They all looked as Calvin stared longingly at it, his face in a wide grin. He started to walk over. "Hey, where are you going? The race is about to start!"

"That's Ace and his crew!" Calvin said as he gestured to them. Sarah sighed and rolled her eyes. She had heard all about his past with Monty, and to say she didn't think much of Ace would be only marginally less of an understatement than to say she didn't think much of Galvanax. "Wow…that car sounds sick! It sounds like he's done some new upgrades!"

"You are aware he's a sociopathic asshole, right?" Sarah asked him. Calvin either didn't notice or ignored her comment.

"He's got the coolest car in town!" Calvin explained to them. "And he totally…"

"…built the engine from scratch himself." Hayley completed his statement in an exasperated tone. She had heard this from him many times before, and despite having virtually no mechanical skills herself, had heard Calvin go on about his car so many times she felt like she would be able to build the engine! "Yeah, I remember!"

"Don't worry, I'll be right back!" Calvin told her as he walked away towards Ace and his crew. Hayley just sighed and watched him.

"Some day I wish Calvin would look at me that way." She joked. Sarah wrapped her arms around her.

"Aw, it's just a little man-crush." Sarah assured her. "I'm…not at all sure WHY he'd man-crush on Ace-hole, but I guess each to their own."

"Let's go discuss order." Preston suggested. "Sarah, how do you feel about taking the first leg?"

In another part of the yard, Princess Viera was just getting ready to begin her surveillance. So far, her disguise appeared to be working, and no one suspected a thing.

She kept her eye on the Rangers as they gathered to discuss the upcoming race. She knew that soon she would have the opportunity to see the Rangers in action. She could see Shoespike in his disguise also getting ready for the race. He was thrashing through some push-ups all while yelling motivational phrases at himself.

She went to the stands, making her way up and took a seat overlooking the starting line. From here, she'd have the perfect view of the start, and also the finish line. From here, she would see everything.

Over in the parking lot, Ace and his friends were gathered around his car, "The Beast" as he had dubbed it, all worshipping it like some sacred idol. Ace had a rag in his hand and was polishing it.

"Come on Ace." His girlfriend Cherry complained. "What are we still doing here? We don't have to be here, we could be off having fun!"

"Babe, we're here to laugh at all the dweebs running around like idiots." Ace reminded her. "They're running around in circles all day for an overgrown puddle."

"Yeah, it's lame, so why are we here?" Cherry asked him. "If we leave now we can get to Panorama and go to Rainbow Corner."

"Babe, I don't want to go there." Ace told her.

"But I do." She complained. Ace was about to answer when Calvin came over.

"Melvin, my man! How are you doing?" Ace greeted him, seeing the opportunity to shut down his conversation with Cherry. He didn't really care much for Calvin, hell he didn't care enough to bother learning his name, but he knew Calvin as a bit of a petrol-head. He was always hanging around whenever he had the chance to admire The Beast, and talking a bout his own truck Nitro. He didn't care at all about that, but it was always nice to have someone else admire his pride and joy and stroke his ego over it. "Wow, that paint job is TIGHT! The paint room in the shop class is still out of order, where did you get it done?"

"Where do you think man?" Ace asked, holding up his hands. "Best shop in town with ten specialist employees!"

"YOU did this!" Calvin gasped, admiring it. "Wow, that is…wow!"

"Hey, watch it!" One of Ace's meathead friends said, seeing Calvin getting close.

"Yeah, don't breathe on the paint!" The other snapped.

"Guys, it's fine, he's just admiring a work of art!" Ace told him. "Just finished rebooting the engine. Want to take a look at the goods?"

Calvin looked like he was about to faint as he nodded his head frantically. Ace popped the hood, lifting it up and letting Calvin look inside. The Yellow Ranger stared at the engine, almost drooling as he saw it. Some looking at his expression would almost have wondered if he was looking at an engine or a copy of Playboy.

"That Nos kit is off the chain!" Calvin gasped as he pointed to it. Ace just nodded, making some kind of noise with his throat that sounded like agreement.

"It sure is, I put a lot of elbow grease into those mods!" He answered. Calvin looked down as he noticed a small stain though. Although there was meant to be oil on most engine parts, he could tell the difference between a small amount for lubrication and when there was a problem. He put his fingers down, before pulling them out, confirming his suspicions.

"Hey, Ace, it looks like you have an oil leak." Calvin informed him. Ace shoved him aside, staring at the engine.

"Are you kidding me? I spent good mon…" Ace started to say, before biting his tongue and restraining himself. "I spent ages putting that together!"

"Well, it should be a cinch to fix, I mean a pro like you right?" Calvin asked. Ace just stared at him for a moment. He looked between Calvin and the car for a moment, before putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Uh…well…yeah, sure I could fix it." Ace stated. "But maybe you might like to take a crack at it huh?"

"Seriously? You want me to spend another day watching you stare at this stupid car?" Cherry asked him.

"Nobody asked you Cherry!" Ace stated, before looking to Calvin, who was still looking at the engine. "So, what do you say?"

"Uh…yeah, sure!" Calvin stated. "Um…it looks like it should be an easy fix, we can do it at the shop class. It's just a short way."

"Perfecto! Maybe we ought to push it there just to be safe!" Ace suggested.

"Sure thing! We can push it, right guys?" He asked, just as Cherry, Ace and the two meatheads got into The Beast. "Um…okay…sure. Whatever."

With that, Calvin started to push the car, while Ace steered, heading for the school workshop.

Over by the start line, the Rangers were all starting to get ready. They had been given vests in their appropriate team colours like the other teams and were getting ready to head to their start positions.

"Gather your teams, the relay race is about to begin!" The Mayor called out over the microphone. "Remember, each member of the team must take turns carrying the baton."

"Alright, I guess we should head off to our starting positions." Preston said as he handed the baton to Sarah, who had agreed to take up the first leg. "You remember the route?"

"The hand-off is at the pedallo rental." Sarah told him with a smile. "You've only reminded me like a hundred times."

"Well that last time you went on a cross-country run you did get lost." Hayley reminded her. "And that course was pretty clearly marked!"

"It was a CLONE!" Sarah protested. "I'm the original and best!"

"Yeah, you are." Preston answered, but as he saw Sarah staring at him he just cleared his throat. "Um…yeah, Hayley we should get going."

"Hey, have you guys seen Calvin?" Brody asked.

"Bad news, Mick just said he saw Calvin pushing Ace's car into shop class." Levi answered as he arrived, de-activating his Ninja-Comm.

"Are you kidding me?" Brody asked. "Now what are we meant to do? We don't have a three-man team!"

"Not to mention he took the baton with him!" Levi groaned. Just then, a couple of powerful arms slammed into the back of their shoulders. Both Brody and Levi reacted quickly, launching the mystery assailant in a high arc overhead, driving him onto the ground, before crouching over him. They looked puzzled as they saw a guy in a gaudy spandex bodysuit lying on the ground.

"Say Levi, nice move." Brody complimented him. "That was just like something dad taught me and Aiden."

"Really?" Levi asked him with a shrug. "It just came naturally."

"Wow, nice reflexes." He said in a strongly accented voice.

"Sorry." Brody said as they helped him up. "Um…can we help you?"

"I couldn't help overhearing your predicament! It turns out my team bailed on me too!" He said, flexing and posing as he spoke. "My name's Shoespike…uh…Bob Shoespike! But people just call me Shoespike! You need a third man, I need a second and third man. How about it?"

"Um…"

"I even have my own baton!" He told them, holding a deep purple baton out for them to see. Brody looked to Levi and just shrugged.

"I guess it is for charity." He commented. "And it's not like we have many options."

"Then I guess we got lucky." Levi said with a smile. "I'm Levi, and this is Brody!"

"Alright, let's get pumped UP!" Shoespike declared. "Hands on the baton!"

Both Levi and Brody put their hands on the baton, but as soon as they did, they both felt really strange. They didn't really know what they were thinking of, but now the only thought through their minds was the race ahead and winning at all costs. They looked to each other, and there was fire in their eyes, a competitiveness that bordered on the outright psychotic.

"Let's terminate those other weaklings!" He snapped. "I'll take leading leg, you two take third and second! Show no mercy!"

"YEAH!" They both screamed as they ran off to take up position. Shoespike headed to the starting line where everyone was lining up. Principal Hastings and Professor Warwick had taken up the first leg for their teams, while Victor was just finishing up with his stylists and heading for the starting position. Shoespike lined up next to Sarah.

"Hey, I'm Sarah." She told him, offering him a handshake. "Have a good race."

Shoespike didn't shake her hand though. Instead he just got into position. As the gun fired and everyone began the race, Sarah felt something hook one of her ankles at the same time as she felt a hand on her back. Before she knew what else was going on, she was propelled face-first straight into the grass. She raised her head up, spluttering and spitting out grass as she watched Shoespike running backwards, waving to her, not even trying to hide the fact he had done it, before turning and heading to catch up to the others ahead of him.

"Oh, that is it, you are going DOWN!" She snapped as she got back to her feet and snatched up her baton, running after Shoespike, already way in last place.


	19. Ace in a Hole

Ace and his friends were sitting around, laughing and joking while Calvin worked on the engine of The Beast. He was sweating profusely, having pushed the car, along with Ace, his girlfriend Cherry, and both of his friends to the workshop before starting work on the engine. However, even although he ached all over and felt like he could nap for a week, to get even a look at the engine would be enough, but to actually work on it was a dream come true.

The engine really was a work of art. It was powerful enough to pull a freaking freight train and in the frame of an absolute classic vehicle that itself deserved to be placed on a pedestal for all to admire. Every part, every component of the engine had been custom picked and put together in a masterpiece of engineering that Calvin could only dream of being able to put together. While his parents were only too happy for him to tinker and work on Nitro, and his mom ran a small business from their garage at home doing repairs, they didn't have anything like the funds needed to put something like this together.

Mick came out of the class with a connector, handing it to Calvin.

"Here, this should work." Mick told him. "It should fit…"

"Come on Melvin, are you fixing it or making love to it?" Ace joked. His friends laughed and one of them fist-bumped Ace as Cherry just played on her phone, looking bored.

"Sorry Ace, I'm just making sure I do this engine justice." Calvin told him. Mick looked at him.

"Say Ace, he's doing you a favour." Mick reminded him.

"It's alright, I guess I'm not as quick as someone with Ace's ability." Calvin commented. Mick looked between them both and shrugged, before heading inside. Calvin got back to work, while Ace just sat, drumming on an oil drum lazily.

"I'm bored Ace." Cherry muttered. "I'm going to go find something fun to do."

"What, you can't have fun right here?" Ace asked her, putting his arm around her. She just brushed his arm off her.

"You know I don't like doing that kind of stuff in front of your friends." She muttered. "My friends are going to…"

"Come on babe, hang around, you're my girl." Ace told her.

"But Ace, I'm BORED!" She reiterated. "Maybe you and I can go somewhere? I'm sure Melvin…"

"Uh…it's Calvin actually." Calvin corrected her.

"Whatever!" She answered. "I'm sure he'll call you when the car is ready."

"Cherry, I don't want to go anywhere." He told her.

"Fine, then I'll see you around." She replied, turning to walk away. Ace grabbed her by the arm and held her.

"Tell you what, if you want to go so bad, go and get us some drinks." Ace told her. "I'll have a lime slushie."

As he released her, he slapped her on the backside. As she left, Calvin furrowed his brows.

"Ace, are you sure she likes being treated like that?" Ace asked him. Ace just smirked.

"Melvin my man, you treat them mean you keep them keen." Ace said, smacking his gum as he high-fived him. "Trust me, you want to get some real action from that girlfriend of yours, start treating her like shit."

"That doesn't seem like a great idea." Calvin answered. "For one thing Hayley would probably castrate me!"

"Dude, haven't you heard of the meninist movement?" One of the meatheads chuckled. "Real men are coming back!"

"Yeah, I like the way things are with Hayley." Calvin told him.

"Suit yourself." Ace replied with a shrug as he and his friends started to talk among themselves.

Sarah was fuming as she drove onwards on her leg of the relay race. Although the race was meant to be fun, although she didn't really care if she won, she was absolutely livid about the way the race had begun.

Shoespike had tripped her, she knew it, and she wanted nothing more than to get her hands on him and make him pay. She knew she shouldn't and she had already decided that defeating him in the race would be much more satisfying than all the ways she could batter him into submission.

The trip had put her way behind, and she had to work hard to try and catch up. She was still a significant way behind Shoespike as they approached the first hand-over. Shoespike handed off to Brody, who was bouncing on the spot, like he was psyching himself to take on the whole Warrior Dome single handed! As Shoespike handed off the baton, Brody took off like a shot. Sarah got to Preston, handing him the baton. The Blue Ranger looked at her, a look of concern crossing his face. He could see the mud and grass stains on her face and all down her front. There were still some pieces of grass in her hair.

"What happened to you?" He asked.

"I tripped!" Sarah said coldly, glaring at Shoespike.

"Are you alright?" Preston asked.

"I'll be better once you beat those guys!" Sarah yelled at him, shoving Preston off. "Go! GO!"

Preston looked confused, and a little scared given her mood, but he ran off, following on as quickly as he could. Sarah crossed her arms and went over to Shoespike, her jaw clenched as she walked right up to him.

"You recovered well." He taunted her. "Looks like you took a nasty spill at the start there."

"Really? That's what you're going with?" Sarah asked him. "What the hell was that?"

"Whoa, hey, hey, hey what is this?" Principal Hastings asked as she came over.

"This jerk tripped me!" She yelled as she pointed at Shoespike.

"She's lying! She probably stepped on her own shoelaces or something!" He protested.

"My trainers are VELCRO!" She responded. Principal Hastings just interjected between them.

"Now that is ENOUGH!" She told them. "Sarah, go for a walk and cool off!"

Sarah groaned and walked away, heading back towards the finish line while Principal Hastings turned around.

"As for you!" She found that Shoespike was gone. She scratched her head and looked around for him, finding no sign of him. "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say he sounds just like my calisthenics instructor."

Further along the track, Preston was running, trying furiously to catch up to Brody. He didn't know what had happened to Sarah at the beginning of the race, but looking at her, he could tell that she believed it was something to do with the stranger Brody and Levi had taken onto their team.

It wasn't like Sarah to make accusations without a good reason. Sarah was a kind-hearted and reasonable person. She could be quick-tempered, but she always looked for the best in people, and she always tried to give people the benefit of the doubt. He had to admit from some of the stories she told him, she had a lot of reasons to be bitter. She had seen and heard some pretty wild things that would test anyone's trust between her family life, her time in Amber Beach and even her experiences in Summer Cove. Throughout it all though, she still always tried to think of others and put herself in their shoes. It was one of the things he admired most about her.

To hear her accuse, or at least imply that Shoespike had done something underhanded he was more than willing to believe her, and he was going to do what he could to achieve her goal of making him pay by defeating the others in the race. As he got closer to Brody, putting on an impressive pace to come from behind, he figured he could probably get the desired result just by explaining to Brody what had happened. The Rangers were bound to value one of their own over a stranger they had only met that day.

"Hey Brody!" Preston called out, trying to come up behind him. Brody threw back his arm, almost hitting Preston in the face. Preston thought this was odd, but assumed he had just startled him and came up beside him. "Hey, Brody, that guy you and Levi teamed with. I think he tripped Sarah!"

"He did?" Brody asked with a smirk on his face. "Was it anything like THIS!"

With that, he grabbed Preston and threw him into some nearby bushes. The Blue Ranger had to shake the cobwebs loose and disentangle himself from the bushes, getting back onto the track.

"What the hell?" He asked, before starting up again in pursuit of his friend, and some answers!

Back at the workshop, Calvin was working hard on the repair. As he had suspected, it wasn't a huge job.

"Alright, I think I found the problem." Calvin told him. "It was just a loose connection, it's simple enough to fix. I'm a little surprised you missed it actually."

"What makes you say I missed it?" Ace asked him defensively.

"Well…you built the engine didn't you?" Calvin asked him. "I didn't mean anything by it, it's easily enough done, I can't count the number of times I…"

"Fine, whatever, just fix it will you?" Ace responded. Calvin just gestured to the car.

"Actually it's done." Calvin told him. "But your oil level is a little low, we should really re-fill the oil tank. Would you mind helping me?"

Ace rolled his eyes as he got out of the car like Calvin had just asked him to do hard labour. The Yellow Ranger cleared the way into the engine and handed Ace a funnel. Ace let out a long whistle.

"Nice job, you're a real jack of all trades!" He said, looking to the engine. He started looking around for where to put the funnel, finding an opening. As he put it in, Calvin just laughed.

"You're such a joker Ace, that's not where it goes." He told him, opening up a cap. Ace pointed to him.

"Just checking!" He answered. Calvin got the can of oil.

"Alright, hold very still." He said, starting to pour oil into the funnel. As he was doing so, Cherry came back, carrying some slushies.

"Alright, I got your stupid slushies!" She stated. The distraction was enough to cause Ace to move the funnel just enough that Calvin poured some of the oil on his hand. Ace recoiled in disgust.

"Aw, watch it, I hate it when I get oil on my hands!" He whined as he looked to his hands like they were covered in toxic waste or acid instead of oil. Calvin looked to him completely baffled.

"Really?" He asked. "Then how did you build your engine by yourself?"

"Very carefully obviously!" He snapped at him. He pointed to one of the meatheads. "Get me the rag from the glove compartment!"

The meathead pulled out a rag, handing it to Ace. A piece of paper fell to the floor from it as Ace started to clean up his hands. Calvin bent down, picking up the paper. He couldn't help noticing the name on it.

"Hicks' Autoshop." Calvin read aloud. "This is a receipt. You paid someone to rebuild your engine?"

As Ace snatched the receipt from him, Calvin thought back across a few things that he hadn't really noticed before. Ace had asked him to do the repair, something that he should have been able to do himself easily if he had the expertise he said he did. He had been very evasive about the Nos system that he had installed, and hadn't told him how he fitted it. He had also put the funnel in the wrong place instead of into the oil tank when Calvin asked him to fill it up.

"You didn't do any of this did you?" Calvin asked him. "You just tell everyone you did so they think you're some kind of mechanical wizard. You're a fraud!"

"Yeah, and you're a dweeb!" Ace responded. "So what if I didn't do the work myself? Who cares? My only mistake was paying someone to do it when some idiot like you would do it for free!"

"I can't believe I was sucked in by you. I thought you were something special." Calvin snorted in disgust. "You have a nice car, but you are no Ace."

"So what are you going to do about it? Tell on me? Who do you think anyone is going to believe?" Ace asked him. "Everyone's seen that piece of crap you drive!"

"At least mine is honest!" Calvin responded.

"The point is, who is anyone going to believe, you or me?" Ace asked him as he snapped his fingers. Cherry gave him his slushie, at which he took a bit sip, before spitting it out in disgust. "Cherry, I asked you to do ONE THING! I asked for LIME!"

"They were out of lime so I got lemon!" She told him with a shrug.

"You IDIOT!" Ace screamed at her. "In what universe is lime ANYTHING like lemon?"

"Hey, you shouldn't talk to her like that!" Calvin yelled at him.

"This doesn't concern you!" Ace answered, grabbing Cherry by the wrist and twisting it.

"Ow, Ace you're hurting me!" She complained.

"In what UNIVERSE is lime the same as lemon?" He reiterated.

"They didn't have lime…"

"So you should have gone to the place on Bleeker…"

"That place is almost the opposite side of town!" She complained, pulling to get away. "Ace, you're hurting me!"

"Let her go Ace!" Calvin warned him.

"Or what?" Ace asked. Calvin could see the look on Cherry's face and could see she was in pain. The grip he had her in was incredibly painful, and if he moved the right way, he could break it. Calvin made his decision, grabbing Ace's hand and twisting it, forcing him to let Cherry go, before shoving him away into the shelving units.

"Thank you." Cherry said, running away and leaving Ace behind. Ace watched her go, before turning his gaze to Calvin. He snapped his fingers at which the two meatheads started to advance on the Yellow Ranger.

"You're going to regret that!" Ace told him as he balled up his fists.

"That's funny." Calvin responded. "I was about to say the same thing!"

Back at the race, Brody was nearing the third leg hand-over where Levi was gearing up ready to go. Hayley watched him preparing like he was getting ready for a war and just laughed.

"Lighten up Levi, it's only a fun run." Hayley told him.

"Oh, it'll be great fun!" Levi told her. "It'll be great fun when you're eating my dust!"

"Yeah, OK whatever." She chuckled. Mrs Finch was watching from a little way off, waiting on Mr Edwards, the gym teacher to show up with her baton.

"Oh come on Hayley, just because you know you're going to lose!" He commented. "The only people who don't want to compete are losers! There's no participation trophy!"

"Levi?" Mrs Finch asked. "I know you're new to this whole teaching thing, but that's not really a great lesson to teach one of your students."

"So I should teach her that everyone gets a trophy even if they don't win?" Levi asked. "Sorry, but the only place that anyone cares about is FIRST place! There are no participation trophies in life!"

"If you think that's all that matters, it sounds like the real participation trophy is your teaching qualification." She told him bad-temperedly. Levi just waved her off as Brody came into view, handing off the baton.

"Get going Levi, show these losers who's the man!" Brody told him. Levi ran off, leaving them behind. Mrs Finch just shook her head in disbelief.

"My God, he's gotten to one of you already." She responded. "It's like you're related or something."

"Here!" Mr Edwards, the gym teacher called to Mrs Finch as he handed her the baton. She ran off, leaving Hayley starting to get edgy. She was looking around for any sign of Preston, but she could only see a bush…a bush that seemed to be running right for her!

"Hayley, take it!" Preston said, handing her the baton. Hayley just looked to him.

"Preston?" She asked. "What happened to you?"

"Never mind, just go!" Preston told her, gesturing wildly after Levi. "Just go!"

As Hayley left, Preston turned to Brody, glaring at him angrily.

"What the hell was that?" Preston demanded of him. Brody just started to make crying noises and rubbed his eyes to mock him, before walking off to return to the finish line. Preston just threw up his hands before trudging back towards the finishing line himself.

Back at the Shop Class, Ace and his friends were quickly finding out that there was a lot more to Calvin than the easy-going tinkerer that people often overlooked. Calvin didn't really excel in anything other than Shop Class. He wasn't stupid, he did well in other subjects, but he was in no way exceling. He'd easily gain the interest of colleges, but he was a B grade student pretty much across the board. He wasn't on any sports teams, because sports didn't really interest him too much. He'd watch football on Thanksgiving and at the Superbowl but that was about the extent of his interest in sports. No, with the exception of mechanics, and tinkering with his truck, Calvin pretty much faded into the background. Which was why Ace and his friends would never for a moment have considered that he would mop the floor with them!

One of Ace's friends was already on the floor and out of the fight, struggling for breath, while Calvin took care of the second with a throw to the floor, finishing up by placing a hand on his forehead, driving the back of his head into the concrete floor, stunning him.

Ace got up, coming straight at Calvin, taking some wild swings which Calvin ducked easily. The Yellow Ranger hammered into his ribs with some hard punches, before flooring him with a huge uppercut. Ace looked up to him with a dazed expression from the floor.

"I don't know what went down between you and Monty, but between this and the way I saw you treat your girlfriend, I'm pretty sure you brought it all on yourself." Calvin told him. "The problem with being a bully is every once in a while, you pick the wrong victim. Welcome to karma!"

Ace and his friends peeled themselves off the floor, getting into The Beast.

"You shouldn't…"

"Get out of the way nimrod or I'll run you over!" Ace warned him. Calvin just stood aside and gestured out of the gate. Ace started up the engine and drove out of the yard. He didn't get far before smoke started billowing out and it was making some pretty unhealthy sounding noises.

"I tried to tell you!" Calvin shouted, with a huge smile on his face, taking satisfaction in Ace's misfortune. Mick came up to him.

"So…that's your cool friend who built his own car huh?" Mick asked him.

"Yeah, he's not my friend." Calvin told him.

"Yeah, I think the three on one brawl kind of tipped me off on that part." Mick replied.

"It also turns out he didn't build his own car, and he's not that cool…it turns out he's just a jerk who bullies people weaker than him and lies to make himself look good." Calvin said, sounding disappointed. Mick just sighed.

"Yeah, I got that impression when I found Cherry inside in tears." Mick told him. "She tried to tell me she slipped and hurt her wrist but it didn't take long for me to pick holes in that story."

"It turns out that Ace is just out for himself. He doesn't care about anyone else unless they have something he wants." Calvin responded. "Friendship is a two way street. If he's willing to treat his own girlfriend like that, his friends need to wake up pretty fast. Real friends are there for each other. I have a feeling Ace would have fed those to idiots to me if he thought he'd get away."

"Hmm…yes, I know that Calvin. The question is do you?" Mick asked him. Calvin just looked a little taken aback.

"What, are you kidding me? I'm nothing like Ace!" Calvin protested. "I would never…"

Mick held up the baton at which Calvin face-palmed.

"The race!" Calvin screamed. "I wasted so much time here it's bound to have started!"

"Well, you probably won't come in first and you might have to make it up to your friends." Mick told him. "But I'd say that they'd appreciate you making the effort to put in an appearance."

"You're right, I need to get out there." Calvin answered. "Thanks Mick!"

With that, he sprinted off. Mick headed back inside, closing up the gates behind him before Ace could think to come back and ask for help.

 **A/N:** Well, there was a few issues getting to post lately, so I've got two chapters at once! Enjoy!


	20. Shoespike's Race

Hayley couldn't believe what she was seeing as she was trying to catch up to Levi. The Gold Ranger was putting in a strong showing, but for all the wrong reasons. He wasn't just competitive, he was outright obnoxious in the way he was behaving. He had to jump over a kid that fell right at her feet after Levi clipped his knee on the way past. Although Preston hadn't taken the time to tell her what he had done, she could still remember him dragging half a bush behind him, and the way he looked at Brody seemed to indicate he had something to do with it.

She pulled alongside Levi as they rounded the lake, heading back towards the starting point at the school, pulling the inside line. She looked aside seeing a horrendous, crazy grin on his face. He looked to her, and his eyes almost seemed to be glowing.

"Hey Hayley, want to know what's more fun than running?" He asked her. "SWIMMING!"

He rushed towards her, shoving her hard. There was no mistaking that it was deliberate, and it came with so little warning that Hayley didn't have time to even try and evade the move. She ended up flying into the lake, sinking into it. She shook her head to clear her vision as she surfaced and swam back towards the bank, attempting to climb out. It was fortunate that she was a strong swimmer, especially since she hadn't expected to be swimming fully clothed in the lake. She took a while to scramble out of the lake, as the bank kept caving in under her, but eventually she got back onto dry land, and made the sprint the final stretch of the way, in time to see Levi sprinting across the finish line and chest-bumping with his brother and Shoespike who was there to congratulate them.

"WE WON! Levi called out as their friends, still dirty, bruised and fuming from their attacks started to come over in search of an explanation for their behaviour. Instead of guilt though, all they got was gloating faces. "And you know what that makes you! LOSERS!"

Brody held his fingers in the shape of an L on his forehead. Levi saw this and did the same as they started to dance in their faces.

"Guys, what the hell was that?" Preston asked.

"That was us making you eat our DUST!" Brody taunted them.

"Guys, you totally cheated." Preston complained.

"Yeah, and you totally took the fun right out of the race." Sarah answered. "I don't mind losing if someone's better than me, but if you're that desperate to win…"

"Aw is the widdle girl gonna cwy!" Levi asked, pouting and imitating tears. Sarah was just about to answer when she noticed a strange glow around her body. Everyone else who participated in the race noticed the same thing. Before long, it became clear something strange was going on. There was a flash of light, and Sarah suddenly found herself staring at the toe cap of a pair of trainers, but it looked like it was the size of a truck! As she saw a face come down that blocked out the sun and saw it was Brody, she realised everything else hadn't gotten bigger, she had gotten smaller! She tried to move but couldn't.

"What the hell?" Brody asked as he picked up Sarah, who had now turned into a trophy. "What…what happened?"

"Oh that, that's what happens to people who lose races to me!" Shoespike informed them, his accent becoming stronger, and more bestial. Levi and Brody both turned in time to see him transform back into his true form. "I turned them into trophies because they're losers! Now they'll sit in my trophy case forever!"

"But it's not Friday!" Levi protested. "The broadcasts go out on a Friday! We're not supposed to be attacked…"

"Oh, is the Gold Ranger gonna cry about it?" Shoespike teased him. "Oh, I wasn't ready!' That's loser talk!"

Calvin arrived, looking a little out of breath, but he was surprised to find a bunch of trophies lying around on the ground and a monster standing before them.

"Release our friends NOW!" Brody yelled at him. Shoespike just laughed.

"Why would I do that? I already have three Rangers!" He pointed out. "Of course, if you want to win them back…"

"What do you want?" Levi asked him.

"A race of course!" He informed them. "My rules! Since there's three of you, a four-legged race! If you win, your friends go free! If you win, I get your power stars and you all join my collection!"

"I can beat you!" Brody answered, before looking to Levi and Calvin. "And both of you too!"

"Um…Brody, how are you going to do that if we're tied to you?" Calvin asked him. Both Levi and Brody glared at him, and he could see their eyes were glowing. He looked to Shoespike who just shrugged.

"I gave them a little boost in their competitive spirit!" He told the Yellow Ranger. "Now, how about it? Will you race? Or do you concede defeat now? Because if you do, that'll be taken as not finishing the race and if you do that…"

"We'll race!" Calvin told him as the three remaining Rangers morphed. Shoespike looked around, seeing Tom hiding behind the judge's table. He grabbed him and pulled him to the starting line.

"You, come here!" He growled at him, throwing him down. "You can judge! First one back here wins!"

Tom looked reluctant, but since everyone who took part in the race had turned into trophies, and all but a few people had already fled, he didn't feel like he had much choice. He was given even less choice as a ball and chain appeared on one of his ankles, preventing him from running. He saw a starter's pistol appear on his hand as two Basher Bots appeared either side of Shoespike tying themselves to him. The two teams lined up on the starting line.

"Alright, ready, set…GO!" He called out. Tom fired the pistol, which fired a homing energy blast that hit the Rangers and knocked them back several feet. As they got to their feet, they could already see that Shoespike had a distinct lead.

"I'm sorry, I didn't…"

"Don't worry." Calvin interrupted him. "I have a feeling Shoespike's rules all favour him."

As they ran off, Tom took off his Stetson, throwing it to the ground in anger. Monty ran up to him, his arms loaded with trophies as he ran around gathering them up.

"Victor?" He called out. "VICTOR!"

"Monty, what the hell are you still doing here?" Tom asked him.

"I've got to find Victor!" Monty screamed at him. "I didn't see him finish…"

"Why are you still here?" He heard someone else ask. Monty started to stammer as he saw the pretty girl from earlier arriving. He stared at her with a huge, goofy grin. "That monster could tear you to pieces! Why are you…?"

"It's Victor, my friend!" Monty told her. "He was running in the race! I can't leave until I know what happened to him!"

"He's probably a trophy somewhere!" She told him.

"Then I have to find him!" Monty yelled.

Viera didn't really understand why Monty would risk himself for his friend. Self-preservation was a powerful motivator, and if Monty knew what was good for him, he would run as far and as fast from here as possible before Shoespike got back. They were interrupted as Victor arrived, running over the finish line, out of breath and incredibly red.

"I did it!" He panted. "I finished."

"Victor!" Monty called out, dropping the trophies he was holding and hugging him tightly. Victor looked a little confused.

"Monty please, there's no need to…" He started to say, before looking around, seeing all the trophies. "What happened here?"

"A monster turned everyone that ran in the race into trophies!" Monty informed him. Victor looked alarmed.

"But…but I ran in the race!" He said in a panicked voice. He covered his face, but after almost a minute realised nothing had happened to him. He started patting himself down. "What the deuce? Why am I not turning into a trophy? Everyone who ran in the race did."

"To be honest I didn't realise you were still running." Tom said honestly. Victor and Monty looked to him curiously. "You were disqualified."

"Disqualified?" Victor asked. "What for?"

"You need a three-man team to enter the relay!" Tom reminded him. "I reminded you five times!"

"And like I reminded YOU five times, I don't want to share my trophy with anyone." Tom suddenly paused as he realised something.

"Victor, Monty, do you guys want to help the Rangers?" He asked him. They both looked to him and nodded. "Monty, you go around and collect all the trophies, bring them here to me. Victor, go and collect the entry forms from the desk."

"Got it." Victor said, nodding as they both ran off.

"Oh, and Victor?" He called after him. "Don't forget my rubber stamp!"

Victor just looked confused but went to collect what Tom asked for. Tom looked down the route breathing a huge sigh.

"Come on Levi." He willed on his brother.

On the course, Levi, Brody and Calvin were struggling to get their rhythm. They stumbled a few times, but once Calvin pointed out that they were losing and encouraged them to get on the same page, they started to make some headway. He looked ahead to where Shoespike was taking a little rest to let them catch up.

"What's he hanging around for?" Brody asked.

"I wouldn't want you Rangers to get lost! I want you in sight when you turn into trophies!" He taunted them. "Plus, I'll get to see your faces when you lose!"

"Wait…look at that!" Calvin called out, noticing the two Basher Bots either side of Shoespike seemed to be slumped unnaturally. "Those aren't Basher Bots…they're stuffed dummies! He's cheating!"

"My race my rules!" Shoespike reminded him as they started to close in. "The surprises are just starting! Follow me, if you can!"

With that, he turned and ran, carrying the two dummies with him. Calvin shook his head.

"He's right, it's his race, he makes the rules." He told the others. "You're not going to let him get away with that are you guys?"

"HELL NO!" They screamed together as they drove onwards. Calvin smiled, realising that at very least he had managed to put their competitive spirit to good use, turning it against the right opponent.

They ran onward, following Shoespike, who took a detour through some woods. They followed him, knowing that if they did that, then at very least they would know the race route. As they started to run through a stream though, an explosion went off, knocking them all down.

"What was that?" Brody protested.

"It almost seemed like a landmine!" Levi answered. They saw Shoespike weaving back and forth, cackling wildly.

"That's exactly what he's done, he's set up landmines!" Calvin told them. "And he knows where they are!"

"Wait, we stepped right on a landmine but we're fine right?" Levi asked.

"I…I guess?" Brody answered.

"I have an idea!" He told them. "It's kind of crazy though!"

"Right now, I'm willing to try anything." Calvin admitted. Levi smiled.

"Have you heard of rocket jumping?" He asked. Calvin just nodded.

"OK, this is nuts, we have to be ready for a hard landing!" He told them as they started running. Calvin kept a close look for any signs on the ground of a mine. He saw a switch just sticking above the ground.

"Alright guys, jump!" He yelled. The three Rangers jumped onto the landmine, which exploded under them. The suits protected them from the worst of the harm, but the explosion sent them flying. They controlled the momentum, using it to propel them forward much faster than if they just ran. Shoespike could only watch as they sailed right over him.

"You Rangers are cheating!" He screamed at them.

"Sorry, landmines are in the rules!" Calvin yelled back.

"You'll be sorry when we get to the finish line!" Shoespike called out, re-doubling his efforts to catch up.

Back at the finish line, Monty had finished gathering the trophies, while Victor brought the paperwork to Tom. He looked at the trophies carefully, picking out three of them.

"Monty, take these three and put them out of sight…behind that bush." He told him. Monty just looked confused. "Just do it!"

As Monty left to do as he was told, Victor handed him the paperwork. He grabbed the registration forms and started leafing through them, tossing papers away frantically.

"What are you doing?" Victor asked.

"I need to concentrate Victor." He grumbled as he looked through. "Come on, come on, come on…YES! I've got it!"

"Here they come!" Monty screamed as he saw the Rangers and Shoespike rounding the last corner. Shoespike barely managed to bypass the Rangers, shoving them out of the way as he took the inside track aggressively.

"Out of my way losers!" He screamed. "I'm doing it! I'm doing it! I'm actually winning!"

As he approached the finish line, the Rangers were close behind, but in a photo-finish, he reached forwards, tearing the tape with his fingertips. He started leaping up and down in triumph.

"I did it! I won!" He screamed as he started to dance with glee. "You know what that means right? TROPHY TIME!"

Levi, Calvin and Brody all turned into trophies as he cackled maniacally. He looked up to the skies, screaming to an imaginary audience.

"Did you see that? Did you see? I did it! I beat the Rangers! The Power Stars are MINE!" He screamed. "Next, I'm coming for the Galaxy Warriors Championship!"

"You might want to hold off on that." Tom announced. Shoespike looked to him and scoffed.

"Why, what are you going to do?" He asked. "You have no powers!"

"Oh, I have the ultimate power. I was a race judge." He reminded him. "And I saw how your team cheated, which means…Shoespike, you Brody and Levi are all…disqualified."

He took a stamp and stamped the word "Disqualified" on all three registration forms. Shoespike just laughed.

"What do I care?" He asked him.

"Well, if you're disqualified that means you didn't win." Tom said with a smile. "Which means…"

Just then, all the trophies other than the ones he got from Levi, Brody and Calvin started to glow. Shoespike watched as they all turned back into humans.

"What? NOOOO!" He called out. "I can't believe it!"

"Believe it scumbag!" He heard Sarah yelling as she, Hayley and Preston all appeared from behind a bush, morphed and ready for action. "Ninja Blaster, Whiplash Attack!"

They all aimed and fired, knocking him down. Shoespike started to get back up, ready to face them.

"I beat you once, I can beat you again!" He called out.

"Sorry, we're not playing your games anymore!" Preston told him as they all formed up their Power Bows. "Ninja Morphers, Final…"

They didn't get a chance to finish. They were all blown aside by an energy blast. Everyone looked around for the source of the blast, finding something incredibly unusual. There was a patch of scorched earth around someone, and a trail leading from them, but it wasn't a monster…at least…it didn't look like it. They all watched as Principal Hastings stood up, an angry look on her face. The seemed to be shifting in form.

"Principal Hastings?" Preston asked.

"What is going on?" Hayley agreed.

Madame Odious had run in the race as Principal Hastings, and so had been turned into a trophy, something that made her furious, but even worse than that, being trapped as a trophy, she was unable to take another dose of the serum she used to take on Principal Hastings' form. Everyone gasped as in a flash of light, she turned back into her true form.

"Madame Odious?" Sarah gasped.

"Madame Odious!" Shoespike screamed, realising his error. He fell to his knees before her. "I'm sorry, I didn't know…"

"You ruined EVERYTHING!" She screamed, firing off a huge blast, completely obliterating him. She looked around at the stunned crowd, and at the Rangers who were starting to compose themselves and prepare for another battle. Seeing Levi, Brody and Calvin turn back into their Ranger forms, she realised that her cover had been blown, and the only ways this could end would be a fight for which she hadn't prepared, or in retreat. She sneered at the Rangers.

"That fool cost me my cover!" She screamed at them. "I'll be back Rangers, don't worry about that, I'll be back!"

With that, she disappeared, leaving the Rangers, and the entire school completely confused. The team gathered together as they tried to make sense of everything.

"Madame Odious was Principal Hastings?" Hayley gasped.

"She's…she's been right under our noses and we didn't even know it!" Sarah remarked.

"But…she can't always have been Principal Hastings." Calvin answered. "They only arrived a few months ago, Principal Hastings has been the principal for years."

"We should check out her place." Brody suggested. He got onto the Ninja Comms.

"Uh…yeah…you guys get right on that." Levi told them as he started to walk away.

"What?" Sarah asked. "Where are you going?"

"Oh…I just need to go shower." He told them. "In bleach…for…like…forever."

As he left, the others just looked curious.

"What do you think that was about?" Brody asked. They all just shrugged.

"Damned if I know." Sarah answered, getting onto her Ninja Comm. "Mick, do you know where Principal Hastings lives?"

"Um…no, but it should be on record in her office." Mick answered. "Why?"

"Oh, do we have a long story to tell you!" Sarah replied.


	21. Battle of Hastings

The Rangers arrived at the gated estate where Principal Hastings lived. They were a little surprised that she lived in this neighbourhood; it was a pretty high-end area. It wasn't quite Tien family level, but considering the fact that most of the houses on the block were easily in the seven-figure neighbourhood with realtors, it was a bit surprising that a High School Principal lived here. They arrived by the gate, finding Mick had already arrived.

"Did you call the cops?" Preston asked him. Mick shook his head.

"I figured I'd leave it until after you guys went in. We have no idea if Odious has left any nice little surprises for anyone going in." Mick told them. Calvin just nodded.

"Great, so only we have to risk our necks." He commented. "That sounds about right."

"There are only five of you." Mick said, furrowing his brows, doing a quick head-count and trying to figure out who was missing. "Where's Levi?"

"I...don't know, he seemed a little weird." Hayley answered, stroking her chin...or rather the chin section of her helmet at any rate. "He said something about needing to go and shower."

"Alright, whatever." Mick answered, handing Brody a device. "Here, this should alert you if you're getting close to any explosive substances, but that doesn't mean there might not be other kinds of booby traps or guards. You need to move carefully."

"Alright, I'll take point." Brody instructed his team. "Once we cross the fence, fan out. I need you to check the rest of the neighbourhood, make sure there aren't any monsters or Kudabots hanging around. I'll head for the house."

"Right, it's the third on the left, the one with the gnomes." Mick informed Brody as the Red Ranger prepared to make his move. "I'm right here in case you need me."

"Thanks Mick." Brody answered. He signalled to the others, who all made their way over the wall into the gated neighbourhood. They made their way quickly through each of the houses and yards. It didn't take them long to signal as they ensured each of them was clear. The main challenge was the community's own security. Aside from having a private security firm covering the neighbourhood, most of the houses also had their own extensive and sophisticated network of cameras and alarms. By the time Calvin got to the last house, signalling that there were no Kudabots in the vicinity, Brody made his own move.

He flipped over the fence, and quickly headed for Principal Hastings' house, making a mockery of the cameras' sweeps. Between his ninja training and a lifetime growing up on the Warrior Dome, where paranoia of a slave uprising was so high that there was almost more surveillance on the ship than dedicated to the show, Brody had learned how to avoid surveillance, how to tell where cameras were pointing and moving to the blind spots. It was a little harder than it was with living guards, who would blink or would be inattentive when bored or tired, but the principals were largely the same.

He dove over the hedge into her yard, rolling to his feet and getting to the front door before one of the cameras swept back. He kept an eye on it and timed it for when the sweep took it away. He got to work quickly, picking the lock on the door and after checking for signs of any tampering or trip switches, before slipping inside.

"He's in." Sarah's voice came over the Ninja-Comm. "Alright Brody, tell us what you see."

"I would not have pictured Principal Hastings' place being like this." Brody commented, looking around. The furniture appeared to be antique, and there was a lot of artwork. He wasn't too surprised she was into arty things, he was however a little surprised that on her salary she'd be able to afford a collection like this. "I think once we find Principal Hastings we'll need to start looking for the owner of this place."

"It is hers." Mick told him. "The deeds were signed to her in 2004."

"She doesn't even have to pay rent or a mortgage or anything?" Brody asked. "Being a principal must pay a lot more than I thought."

"Not this much." Preston commented. "Some of dad's board of directors live around here, and I know roughly what they make."

"Can we focus here?" Hayley asked, sounding frustrated. "Sure, I'm certain how she got this place is a fascinating story but right now maybe we find out if she's still alive?"

"WHOA!" Brody called out. The team prepared to move, but he started calling out to them to stand down.

"What is it?" Calvin asked.

"Sorry, I was just startled." Brody answered, staring at a bear. "I...ran into a bear, but it looks like it's stuffed."

"Stuffed?" Hayley asked.

"Yeah, there's a whole room full of taxidermy." Brody commented as he swept the area. "There's a gun cabinet here too, a pretty extensive collection by the looks of things."

"You think she hunted those things herself?" Calvin asked. "Remind me not to piss her off again!"

"Guys, it looks like no one is in here." Brody told them. "Hold on, I think I heard something."

"What is it?" Sarah asked him.

"It sounds like it's coming from underneath me, I think there's a basement here." Brody told them. "I just need to find a way in."

"Maybe a few more sets of eyes will help." Sarah suggested.

"No, I think I've found it." Brody answered. "I found a door, but there looks to be some kind of device linked up to the door handle."

"A booby trap in case someone tries to come in?" Sarah asked. "What kind of device?"

"Mick's scanner is showing explosives...it says it's Brime."

"Brime, what's that?" Hayley asked him.

"It's an explosive mineral from near where I lived." Mick informed him. "Pound for pound it's more powerful than C4."

"It's wired to the handle, I think it'll go off if I try and open it." Brody informed them.

"I'll be right there." Sarah told him.

"I appreciate the thought Sarah, but if its Brime Odious used, the tech is probably a little beyond Earth's level." Mick told them. "I'm coming in."

"Mick, you can't." Brody barked down the line. "I'll set up a link; you can talk me through it."

"Brody, if it's an explosive device then I might need to make split-second decisions." Mick told him. "I won't be able to move quickly if I have to explain to you..."

"Mick, we're Rangers, we have protection!" Sarah reminded him. "If you talk me through it..."

"This isn't up for discussion, I'm coming in!" Mick told them. He climbed over the gate, landing on the other side before any of the Rangers could object. Unlike them, stealth wasn't really his strong suit, and so quickly there were flashlights on him. Security guards were quickly in the street with guns trained on him.

"Hold it right there!" One of them called out. Mick held up his hands defensively.

"Wait, I can explain..."

"You're in the wrong neighbourhood pal!" Another stated.

"The woman in that house, she needs my help." Mick told them, pointing to Principal Hastings' place.

"Then she can come and..."

"There is a bomb in there!" Mick rushed out. The men started to get a little more aggressive with their gestures with their guns.

"Is that a threat sir?" One of them demanded. Sarah and the others broke cover, revealing themselves.

"Rangers?" One of the security guards asked. "What are you...?"

"This man is telling the truth." Sarah told them. "He's helping us; we need him to defuse the device."

"If you take one step I'll call the cops!" One of them told them. "We'll check it out..."

"Yes! Call the cops, please do!" Mick told them. "But let me through and..."

"We're checking it out sir." One of them told him. Mick just sighed and went with them as they headed for the house. It didn't take long for them to find Brody standing by the door. They could see the device attached to it.

"Oh my God..." One of them gasped, going for his radio. Mick grabbed his hand.

"I...wouldn't do that." He told them.

"You think this might set it off?" He asked. Mick just shook his head.

"No, of course not. It's wired to blow if the door is opened." Mick told him. "But if you're talking, you'll distract me."

"What are you doing sir?" One of them demanded as Mick got out some tools and started to look at the bomb.

"I'm going to defuse it." Mick told him. "You might want to step back."

The security guards all took a step back, at which Mick just shook his head.

"No, I mean...if this thing goes off you're not going to want to be...you know...within the city." Mick clarified. "Clear out and call the cops."

The security guards all left pretty quickly after that. Mick looked to Brody.

"You might want to go too." Mick told him.

"Mick, I am not leaving..."

"The less people down here the better, I'm not kidding about this thing." Mick told him.

"Then I want to be here..."

"Brody, I didn't want to say this in front of the others, but...it's a cost-benefit analysis." Mick told him. "Sarah probably could defuse this, but I'm the only other one that can, and I'm not a Ranger."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Brody asked. Mick just looked at him. "Mick, you can't think like that."

"If this goes side-ways, then I'm the one that costs the team least if...you know." Mick told him. Brody just shook his head.

"Mick, you can't gamble with your life." Brody told him.

"I've been doing it for years and you guys do it pretty much every day." Mick reminded him. "I've made up my mind Brody, now please, leave this to me."

Brody didn't want to think of what would happen if Mick was wrong. He agonised over the decision, but he couldn't get over the fact that it was Mick's decision to make. The only decision he could make was whether to stay with him and potentially distract him, or do as Mick asked. He sighed and put a hand on Mick's shoulder.

"You've got this." Brody told him. Mick just nodded his head and started to get to work as Brody left the building.

In another part of the city, Levi was in the bathroom, having a long, hot shower! He was lathering up and scrubbing for the fifth or sixth time already.

He had no idea when he took the job at the High School that he was accepting a job from Madame Odious. Right now no one knew how long she had been replacing Principal Hastings, right now no one even knew what happened to the real Principal Hastings. However, given the conversation she had interrupted between himself and Mrs Finch, the one thing that was clear to him was that she had at least been there when he was hired.

In some ways it made sense as a move for her. She had been able to get close to the Rangers, to keep an eye on them and figure out their movements virtually unhindered. Indeed as their Principal, she had authority over them and there was little they could do to ignore or defy her. That she had been the one to bring Levi into the school, to give him the position as a teacher was most likely a way to ensure he stayed close, to keep the whole team in one place, ready to act if they ever gave her an opportunity.

He was still sickened to think how far she had taken her ruse. She had feigned affection for him...or at least he sincerely HOPED she had feigned that affection. She had given him the impression of a star-struck fan that was willing to use her position to offer him something that he needed at the time. She had carried on the act so convincingly it led him to...He gagged slightly to think about it.

He shut off the shower after realising his skin was now pretty much turning bright pink, and was starting to wrinkle giving him the appearance of a strange prune. He got one of his towels and started to dry himself off, before heading through to the living room and turning on the stereo. It was one of his CD's that was playing, but he couldn't be bothered to do anything to change it. He just tossed the handset aside as he continued to dry himself off.

He had to admit a certain part of him had to almost admire Odious for how long she must have kept up the act. To pretend to be someone else for so long, to convince people she was another person had to take immense talent, the kind of concentration and intellect he couldn't believe. He wasn't sure he could do that. He had always prided himself on being who he was; regardless of if it met with the expectations of others.

He was still a little stunned by how effective Shoespike's spell was. He couldn't believe how he had valued winning over everything else. He was disgusted to think of how he acted towards his friends, how he had acted around others. As he lay back on the bed and closed his eyes, his vision shifted.

He was on a farm, but it wasn't the one he grew up on, the Weston farm. It was a lot smaller and didn't look nearly as well tended, almost like it wasn't a working farm at all. It looked more like the people there only worked it to a minimum, providing for themselves and not for sale.

"HA! I beat you! I beat you! I beat you again! HA!" He screamed as he did an incredibly immature and disgustingly mocking dance.

"It wasn't a race!" He heard a screeching, high-pitched voice say. He turned to see a kid standing, looking far from amused, crossing his arms in front of him. Levi went over to this kid, and was surprised that he seemed to be about the same height.

"That's loser talk! LOSER!" He started saying mockingly, before he felt a strong hand on his shoulder and heard a voice.

"Go and practice your kata." It said to the other kid.

"But dad..."

"Go and practice!" The voice stated again. The young kid bowed and turned, running off in the direction of the barn. Levi turned around, finding himself facing a man, one he didn't quite recognise, but that he felt a familiarity with. The man looked down on him.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to act that way?" The man asked. "Your brother's just trying to learn!"

"I'm trying to get him to try harder..."

"By taunting him and teasing him that he isn't at the same level as his brother who's four years older than him?" The man asked. "Do you really think you were that good four years ago?"

"But competition..."

"Competition is a good thing if it's HEALTHY competition." The man told him. "If all that matters to you is winning at all costs, then you don't drive anyone else to improve, you only discourage people from wanting to be around you."

"But...but what do I care what other people think of me?" Levi asked.

"That is often a healthy attitude, but you'll quickly come to know the people that matter." The man told him. "It's a good thing not to care what people think of you, because you'll never make everyone happy. But you'll know the people that are important to you because they're the ones whose opinion DOES matter to you."

"But I won..."

"Yes, and that's good. But another day your brother may win." The man answered. "And when that happens, would you rather sulk about the fact you were beaten or shake his hand and learn from him how he beat you so that you can improve?"

Levi didn't answer, instead he hung his head. The man guided him towards the barn.

"Go and apologise to your brother." He told him. "Then maybe he might like a few tips on how he can improve his time."

Levi snapped back into the present, shaking his head. He wished he could make more sense of what these new memories meant, but since they were coming to him, he found himself more confused than anything else. He didn't even know what was triggering them.

He could only assume it was another memory from his childhood, from the years before the Weston took him in, he had ascertained that these other people were his brother and his real father, but he still had no idea who they were or where they might be, even if they were still alive.

He couldn't help thinking about one thing in the dream though; he couldn't stop thinking about his father's lesson. Going to his cell phone, he picked it up and looked up a number, calling it. It went straight to voice mail, at which he just sighed and tossed it aside, before slumping down on the bed.

"Levi, when you screw up, you do one hell of a job." He told himself.

Back at Principal Hastings' house, Mick was working on the bomb, taking it apart. He mopped his brow as he looked into the inner workings, trying to figure out the path of the circuits, trying to determine which would set it off and which would by-pass the whole system.

He gulped as he reached a difficult juncture. He had a couple of connections to take apart, but they were all entangled in a kind of anti-tamper system. Once he started, he would have only seconds to take them all apart or the whole system would go. He took out a spray, spraying into the mechanism to freeze it, giving him a few more seconds.

"Alright, I've found what I need to." Mick told them through his Ninja-Comm. "Once I start, I've got a few seconds to take it apart."

"Mick, are you sure you..."

"The less people in here the better." Mick told them. "In a few seconds we'll know one way or another if I'm successful. Everyone just stay back out of here."

"Mick, good luck." Brody told him. "We believe in you."

"That's good to hear." Mick told them. "Let's find out if I deserve it."

With that, he took apart the first connection, removing the screw quickly and pulling out the wire. From there, he could hear some of the workings starting to activate. He was now in a race against time with the ultimate penalty if he slipped up. He got through the second and third connection pretty smoothly, but the final one was proving a little trickier. He tried to turn the screw, but it started to chew up, and the screw wouldn't move. It was an old screw, and it looked like it wasn't going to go easily.

"Screw it!" He snapped as he opted for the biggest gamble of his life. Grabbing the wire, he closed his eyes and ripped it out sharply. There was silence, and for a long moment Mick was terrified to open his eyes in case he would find himself in the hereafter. Eventually though, he managed to open one eye, and found that either the hereafter looked surprisingly like Principal Hastings' taxidermy room, or he had managed it. Looking to the device he breathed a sigh of relief, pulling it off the door, before opening it.

He went down the stairs, into the basement to investigate. He found a light switch and turned it on. When he did, Principal Hastings scooted as far as she could into the corner, shielding her face defensively. He went over to her.

"Principal Hastings, it's me!" Mick told her. She just looked up to him.

"M...M...Mr K...K...Kanik?" She asked him. Mick nodded his head. "You need to go, that freak..."

"She's not coming back." Mick assured her as he took his screwdriver and started to work on the locks holding her chains. Principal Hastings looked to him, terrified in case he was wrong. "Don't worry, she's been exposed, we all know about her, she's not coming back."

As the chains fell from her ankles, releasing her feet for the first time in weeks, he began working on the chains securing her wrists. The second he was finished, she threw her arms around him, squeezing him tightly and refusing to let him go. Mick gently put his arms around her.

"It's alright, it's alright, we're getting you out of here." He assured her, sliding a hand under her legs. After so long in captivity, he had no idea how strong she was and didn't want to risk her hurting herself trying to walk herself. He picked her up and carried her up the stairs and out of the front door.

As he got there, the street was full of police, fire service and ambulance crews. There was a huge applause as they saw him. Mick looked to where the Rangers were all standing, applauding him too. Mick smiled. He never once complained about his part in the war against the Warrior Dome, but he had to admit, for once, being the hero felt pretty damned good!


	22. In The Still of Night

Princess Viera appeared back on the ship in a flash of light, appearing in Cosmo's office. Cosmo, Drillion, Galvanax and Wrench were all waiting for her to return. As she appeared, she started to sway a little. Drillion rushed forward to grab her to keep her upright.

"Princess Viera…"

"Get your hands off me Drillion!" She hissed, trying to steady herself. She looked to the others in the room, seeing the way they were looking at her. She could see that they suspected she was weak, and that was something she didn't want Drillion to affirm by making it look like she couldn't even stand by herself. "I need to get out of these ridiculous Earth clothes! How they function in these stupid rags I will never understand!"

"Of course, Your Highness. Your quarters have been prepared as per your request." Cosmo told her. "I trust our little side-show has proven instructive?"

"It has." Viera responded. "The Rangers are not as impressive as you led us to believe."

"What?" Galvanax screamed.

"Your bumbling buffoon almost took them out before I got a chance." She declared. "Shoespike was a moron and he almost succeeded where some of your greatest warriors have failed. Perhaps in your arrogance you overestimate your own strength and fail to see how weak and ripe for the picking your own foes are."

"How dare you…"

"In fact, if I was you, I would be more concerned with my own followers." She told them.

"What's that meant to mean?" Galvanax screamed as he approached her. Drillion stood between him and Viera, powering up his drill weapon.

"ENOUGH!" She yelled. "If you cannot be bothered to keep an eye on your own followers, that is your failing. I will be in my quarters preparing for our battle at the end of the week. We'll rid you of your Rangers, and once we have, no one will question my rule."

She snapped her fingers, at which Drillion followed her out of the office. Galvanax rounded on Cosmo menacingly.

"Impudent little brat! What is she talking about Cosmo?" He yelled at him. Cosmo just shrugged.

"I know as much as you do Champ." Cosmo told him. "We weren't broadcasting. If she saw something down there that we didn't know about, you'd have to ask her. Of course, I'm sure Drillion will have something to say about that!" Galvanx snorted in anger before storming out of the office. Wrench just looked to Cosmo a little worried.

"He doesn't look too happy!" Wrench commented.

"He never looks happy." Cosmo sighed.

"You don't understand, I served with Sledge, I know his type!" Wrench pleaded with him. "He could do something stupid!"

"It wouldn't be the first time." Cosmo chuckled.

"But if he provokes Viera and Drillion, he could bring the Lion Galaxy…"

"He will not do any such thing. In fact, if I know him, and I do, right now he's going to the nearest drinking hole to let off some steam." Cosmo told him.

"But what about what Viera said?" Wrench asked. "What did she mean about…?"

"Oh, she was referring to Odious." Cosmo interrupted Wrench. "She was down there, she was the one that destroyed Shoespike."

"Odious?" Wrench asked.

"Yes, in her guise as the Rangers' school principal. A position she took up some time ago to keep an eye on her Gold Ranger to ensure he doesn't remember too much."

"H…h…her Gold Ranger?" Wrench stammered nervously. Cosmo turned towards Wrench, lighting up a cigar and approached him, his usual grin absent from his face.

"I warned you long ago Wrench, VERY little goes on around here without my knowledge." Cosmo stated. "I know all about Odious' secret lab, and all about her project with the Gold Ranger. Her infiltrator masquerading as the Red Ranger's brother, and of course her plot to frame Ripcon for the whole thing."

"I don't know what you…"

"And I also know that you knew about it some time ago. In fact, I've asked you a few times, given you an opportunity to tell me what you knew." Cosmo whispered as he glowered at him with an intensity Wrench rarely saw in him. "Don't think I haven't noticed that each time you didn't come forward. That is very disappointing Wrench. I had such high hopes for you, and this is how you repay my trust?"

"You KNEW?" Wrench screamed.

"Of course, I knew my dear boy. Like I said, I didn't get to the top without being the smartest man in any room." Cosmo said calmly. "It suits me down to the ground to have the idiots that work for me slitting each other's throats for the scraps from my table all in the vain hopes of taking my empire from me!"

"But…but…Ripcon…"

"Ripcon was a high price, but one I was willing to pay to keep her in the dark as to how much I know." Cosmo told him. "I leveraged my assets and determined that you were the more valuable asset. It's the reason you're still alive. Remember that if you ever consider going behind my back again!"

Cosmo went to his desk and sat down, crossing his feet on the desk, before pointing to the door.

"You can show yourself out." He told him. Wrench turned and left the office, more than a little alarmed by what he had heard. He had known of Odious' games. He had known that all of the higher executives on the ship had their own agendas and their own games and given his rapid rise he was certain that he was playing the game expertly. Now, he was wondering if he even saw the board.

By now, the city was buzzing with news surrounding the events at the fun run. Although by now monster attacks in the city were no longer really huge news, they still hit the headlines. The real story however was the news that the trusted Principal of Summer Cove High had in fact been the monstrous Madame Odious in disguise.

The city had accepted long ago that it was under attack, that the threats would come down from the Warrior Dome and that the Rangers would be there to protect them. However, the one thing they weren't prepared for was the thought of a threat from within.

The cops were keeping reporters out of the hospital, keeping exposure to a minimum until they could get to grips with what was going on themselves. The only thing anyone knew for sure was that Principal Hastings had been abducted weeks ago. Her condition, while not immediately life-threatening, indicated she had been abused and mistreated now for several weeks at least. Until she was strong enough to be questioned, there was no way the police could even tell for certain how long that was, never mind being able to unravel any harm she had done.

She was in a room on the top floor, which had been completely cleared of any other patients. The whole floor was swarming with cops, keeping the whole place on lock-down.

Principal Hastings was just being inspected by the most senior doctor on site. The police were taking no chances in the treatment of the only witness they had who could shed light on the whole story. She looked to the drip bag that he was hanging.

"No olives?" She asked him. The doctor chuckled.

"It's not martini I'm afraid." He told her. "You're showing signs of malnutrition and dehydration."

"A steady diet of dog food smoothies will do that to you." She answered. "The good news is I'm pretty sure I shed that last five pounds I was trying to shave off."

"I'd say probably more like twenty from the looks of things." The doctor told her. "The problem is what your system's been running on isn't exactly very solid or substantial. We'll run you on this for a couple of days. Maybe then we can try you on something a little more substantial like those pudding cups everyone around here is so keen on."

"That's something right?" Mick asked. He was the only one that was allowed up on Principal Hastings' floor other than cops and medical personnel. It was largely as her insistence. More accurately, she point-blank refused to go anywhere without him. Since her abduction, the only people she had seen were Odious and 'Aiden'. She had spent weeks locked in her own basement, chained up like an animal. The first face she had seen that showed her any kind of compassion had been Mick's. He had released her from her bonds and carried her to safety. Although she was now surrounded by more security than many city officials, she still felt more secure with him around. "Who doesn't like pudding?"

"I'll leave you two alone." The doctor told her, before looking to Mick. "Remember what we discussed, she should rest. Try not to stress her out too much."

As he walked out of the room, Principal Hastings rolled her eyes.

"Don't you find it annoying how doctors do that?" She asked him. Mick just stared at her confused. "Talk about you like you're not in the room. I'm lying right here."

"I suppose it is a little impersonal." Mick conceded. He couldn't really comment too intelligently on human medical practice. He had only been on Earth a few months now, and in that time, he'd never really needed to see a doctor, not that he was terribly confident there'd be much a human doctor could do. His physiology was very different from a human's, and after Preston had made him watch ET, he was a little hesitant to find out what would happen if anyone got too good a look at his physiology and started to get curious. "They're only looking out for your well-being."

"I suppose." She answered. She took a breath. "I wanted to thank you…"

"You don't need to do that." Mick told her with a smile. "I'd have done that for anyone."

"I don't doubt it." She replied. "That…that thing that took me, that…Odious said…"

"You heard the doctor, you shouldn't get worked up." Mick reminded her. Principal Hastings looked to him, and without a word lifted her gown. She showed him a long, jagged scar that ran from a little beneath her naval to her sternum.

"I got that a month into my first teaching tenure." Principal Hastings told him. "My first tenure was in the kind of school where the half of the kids that weren't as high as kites were coming down. I confronted one of the wrestling team on some homework he hadn't done, and before I knew it, I was lying on the floor quite literally holding in my own intestines."

Mick muttered something unintelligible under his breath. Principal Hastings pulled her robe back down.

"I'm a lot tougher than people think." She told him. "Mick, she told me that you were involved with the Rangers."

"Do you really place a lot of stock in the opinion of insane…"

"Odious was sadistic, cruel and malicious, but she wasn't insane. I've seen people who are out of their minds and she was one of the most clear-minded creatures I've ever seen." Principal Hastings interrupted him. "Don't try to lie to me Mick."

"So, what did she tell you?" Mick asked in response. Principal Hastings adjusted her bed to be sitting up so she could look at him. She gestured him to come closer. Mick moved his chair next to the bed so that he was next to her.

"She told me that you're involved with the Rangers." She told him as she took his hand in hers. "She told me that much, and I had a lot of time to think about who you spend most of your time with, so it's not too much of a mental stretch to say I could probably tell you who the Rangers are."

"Principal Hastings…"

"Jennifer." She corrected him. "In the school it'll still be Principal Hastings, but I think you can call me Jennifer."

"Jennifer." Mick replied. "So…you're telling me I'm not fired?"

"I owe you my life Mick, I'm not going to tell anyone." She assured him. "All I want in return is a little honesty." Mick held her hand gently and smiled.

"Then what would you like to know?" He asked her.

The Rangers had all gone to a nearby ice-cream place after the battle. They had wanted to go with Mick, to make sure that Principal Hastings was alright after her ordeal, but since they had been at the house as the Rangers there really wasn't any way to explain why five of her students would randomly turn up at the hospital. For the time being, they would have to rely on Mick to check on her and find out if she knew anything that could help them in the future against Odious.

They had split up on their way home, each heading off their own way. As Sarah and Preston waved goodbye to Calvin and Hayley, Preston went with Sarah in the direction of her place.

"Isn't this like, completely the wrong direction for you?" Sarah asked him. Preston pulled out his cell phone.

"One of the fringe benefits of being a Tien." He told her. "If I call my dad's office, they'll have a driver pick me up within fifteen minutes."

"I…thought you hated all that rich kid stuff." Sarah commented. He just shrugged.

"It has its uses at times." He told her. He walked with Sarah as they made their way along the street. He couldn't help watching her as she licked her ice-cream cone.

"Did you get a load of that accent?" She laughed as they walked. Preston just furrowed his brows. "On that monster I mean. Did you hear that accent? It was all… 'I vill crush you! You will be terminated!'"

"It was so Ahnold I had to try hard not to pee myself!" Preston laughed with her. "If he was on our side I'd have been waiting on him saying 'Come with me if you want to live'."

"I was more fond of 'Get your arse to Mars'." Sarah giggled. "Or 'It's not a tumour!'."

"Wow, you really are an Arnold fan, aren't you?" Preston asked her. Sarah just shrugged.

"What can I say? How can you not love a guy who can play everything from a killer cyborg to the world's first pregnant man?" She asked with a shrug. Preston looked to Sarah and smiled.

"What?" She asked him. "What is it?"

"You've um…you've got a little…" He gestured to her nose. She had been eating her ice cream so enthusiastically she had gotten some on the end of her nose. He pulled out a handkerchief and approached her, wiping it off.

"Did you get it?" She asked him, feeling his touch. Preston just stared at her for a moment. "Preston?"

"Yeah, I got it." He answered eventually. They walked on, heading towards Sarah's house. As they did, Preston couldn't help thinking about the days that had led up to this and everything everyone had said about Sarah. He couldn't deny how much they had in common or how he always found himself smiling any time he saw her, even if it had only been a few hours since he had last seen her. He could feel his stomach knotting up and his chest tightening as he considered the fact that on this day, as much as they joked about the monster now, he had almost won. It was only good fortune that kept them from losing to a monster that was considered so weak that Cosmo hadn't even sent cameras to film his fight. He took a deep breath and steeled himself.

"So…um…are you doing anything tomorrow?" Preston asked her.

"Tomorrow's a school day." She reminded him.

"Yeah, I was meaning after school." He clarified for her. Sarah looked a little confused.

"We're going to work on our project in my workshop." Sarah reminded him. "You know, like we talked about."

"Well, what if we do something after that?" He asked her. "Like, maybe go for something to eat?"

"That would be great, I'm sure the guys would just love that!" Sarah rushed out.

"Um…I was actually thinking more like…just us?" He said to her, struggling to get the words out as his mouth started to dry out. "You know…alone, just us."

Sarah gulped down a piece of ice-cream that was just a little too large. She struggled a little and it chilled her all the way down. She felt it go all the way to her stomach, which churned uneasily. She stared at him.

"Just us?" She asked nervously. "Like…a date?"

"M…m…maybe?" Preston stammered, looking around for a way to escape, worried his heard was going to stop dead right there as Sarah stared at him. He wondered how he'd escape, but he hit a problem. Sarah knew both all the same magic tricks and ninja tricks he did. She'd know where he went, not to mention he'd see her again eventually. "If that's something you'd like?

Sarah stared at him, her mind turning over and over what she had heard. Her friends and even her mother had put the idea in her head for a while now that Preston was perhaps more than just a friend to her. She knew that of the Rangers he was the one she had most in common with and the one she spent the most time with. Now, here he was standing in front of her asking her out. She looked to Preston who was waiting on an answer, and she was conscious of the fact it had been a while since she had said anything at all. Her brain, which could figure out complicated mathematics and engineering with hardly any effort was now suddenly completely drawing a blank. She was rooted to the spot, unable to move, no matter how much she willed her body to. She took in a massive breath and finally came up with an answer.

"That…sounds like it'd be great!" Sarah finally managed to say, a smile finally crossing her lips. "I'd like that."

"OK then!" Preston said as he started to back up slowly. "Then I guess I'll…see you tomorrow."

"I guess so." Sarah answered. "Night Preston."

"Goodnight Sarah." He responded as he watched her go into her house and the door closed behind her. As he walked away, he jumped high into the air and punched the sky with a huge whoop of delight.


	23. Before the Date

The following morning, Sarah was in her room getting ready for school. She was still sitting, humming contentedly as she brushed her hair while she smiled, thinking about the previous night.

A lot had happened, both for the city and for the team. Not only had they been attacked unexpectedly midweek, breaking pretty much any of the rules that Cosmo had set for them until now, but in the process of the battle they had found out that Principal Hastings, at least the one that they were seeing most days at the school, had in fact been Madame Odious in disguise.

It was a little bit of a shock, particularly to Levi, who had disappeared shortly after they had found out. She still wondered why he was being weird about it all, but since he had gotten his job from Principal Hastings, who may not have even been the real Principal Hastings at the time, it meant that it was possible his hiring may just come under some kind of scrutiny. Of course, Mick had the same issue, they really weren't sure how long Odious had been replacing Principal Hastings, and it seemed fortunate at least that the real Principal Hastings had been found to still be alive. It seemed either out of some kind of sadism or some other thing Odious needed from her that the team wasn't yet aware of, she had kept her around rather than just killing her to prevent any danger of her showing up and blowing her ruse.

She hardly noticed as the screen on her computer opened up a video chat. Kendall was on the other end.

"Hey Sarah, sorry I took so long to get back to you." Kendall greeted her. "Things here have been kind of hectic."

"It looks like it." Sarah replied, seeing a lot of hustle and bustle going on behind Kendall. She was in a tent of some description and it looked a lot like she had been sent on some kind of dig. "Um…where exactly ARE you?"

"Kenya." Kendall told her. "Dr Runga found some stuff on his latest dig and he called us in for an urgent second opinion. It's about five in the evening here."

"Oh, right." Sarah replied. "How's it going out there?"

"It's not so bad. We're making a lot of good discoveries out here." Kendall informed her. "Shelby's absolutely loving it, she's happier than a pig in muck right now!"

"I heard that!" Shelby responded as she came into view. She looked into the laptop. "Hey, hi there Sarah! How are things in Summer Cove?"

"Well, we just found out our Principal was really one of our Big Bads." Sarah began.

"So, your Big Bad was around you all the time?" Shelby said, casting a sly look at Kendall. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"Don't you have some remains to catalogue?" Kendall asked her. Shelby just shrugged and turned to the computer.

"Hey, it was great talking." She stated. "I'll e-mail you my pictures from out here, you won't believe how amazing this trip has been!"

"I'll look forward to it!" Sarah answered as Shelby went back to work. "Wow, she really is loving it isn't she?"

"Yeah, she really is. She's actually about to publish some field work." Kendall told her. "Anyway, I wanted to message you back about that project you were working on. I took a quick look over the schematics, it all looks really great."

"Thanks Ms Morgan." Sarah answered. "I wasn't too sure about…"

"Sarah, it's great, it'll be more than good enough for a High School project." Kendall said with a smile. "You just have to let me know how those cookies turn out."

"If I have any left over I promise to mail them over." Sarah told her. "I'll make sure to address them to you so that Koda doesn't get to them first."

"Sarah…are you wearing make-up?" Kendall asked her. Sarah just looked to her.

"Um…maybe?" She asked.

"You're wearing make-up to go to school?" Kendall asked her with a sly smile.

"Is that a crime?" Sarah asked her.

"So…this wouldn't have anything to do with Preston would it?" Kendall needled her former employee. Sarah just smiled.

"He…he asked me out." Sarah told her. Kendall just leaned back in her chair.

"Well, I'd never have seen that coming." Kendall responded sarcastically, tenting her fingers.

"Wait, I thought you wanted to talk about my project…"

"Oh, we can talk about your project." Kendall told her. "Right after you tell me all about it."

"I do have to get ready for school you know." Sarah reminded her.

"It's a little after seven AM there, and on your hoverboard it takes you about twenty minutes to get to school." Kendall reminded her. "So, tell me, how did it all go down?"

Over at the school, Levi arrived early, as most of the teachers did, but he didn't really have much in the way to prepare. Being a music teacher, most of the equipment for his lessons was already on the premises, so he really didn't need to be in too early, but the staff normally got together to discuss matters relating to the school before the shift began, and while normally this could be dealt with in about fifteen minutes, given the fact that the ship was currently without a captain he was sure that there would be a lot more than normal to sort out.

As he got to the school, he found Mrs Finch struggling to get some boxes out of her car. He came across as she was struggling to get a cardboard box into her hands. She saw him approaching and rolled her eyes.

"Well, if it isn't the furry." She greeted him coldly. "You know most people stop at just costumes right?"

"You need a hand with that?" Levi asked her. She just shoved one of the boxes into his hands. "I tried calling…"

"I know, my phone does have call register." She informed him. "I got all four of your calls and all ten of your text messages, what does that tell you?"

"It tells me you're pissed at me." Levi answered.

"Well congratulations, I guess you managed to figure that out all by yourself." She stated. Levi took a deep breath.

"You know what happened with Principal Hastings…I mean Madame Odious…I mean…"

"If you insist in talking about this I'm going to have to ask you to walk and talk." Mrs Finch told him, putting another couple of boxes on top of the one he was holding. "I have a lot to do."

"So, I see…what is all of this?" Levi asked her.

"This would be called 'battlefield promotion'." She informed him. "As of last night, when the education authority called me, for the time being at least, I not only have my own job to do, I also have to be the Acting Principal."

"Wait…what?" He asked her as he followed her towards the Principal's Office.

"In case you haven't noticed this town has become kind of toxic, it's a real life Bludhaven!" She told him. "There aren't exactly people lining up for jobs here, there are four positions that we've never been able to fill. For Christ's sake we can't even get someone to take the vacant janitor's position, and you think someone wants to come here to become Principal? Trust me, there is no pay scale on Earth that'll get anyone to take that job!"

"So, they gave it to you?" Levi asked her. He instantly regretted it, seeing the way she glared at him. "I…I didn't mean…"

"I'm the most senior staff member left that would accept the job!" She told him. "Everyone else has either quit or wants to quit. If I didn't take the job the school would have had to close. I didn't take the job it was dumped on me!"

"So…should I worry about my job?" Levi asked her.

"What a surprise, it's yourself you're worried about!" She grumbled as she kicked the office door open, making her way to the desk. She dumped her papers on there. "I have to pick my way through everything that Principal Hastings has signed off on since the beginning of the year to make sure it's legit, but right now I don't really have much in the way of choice about staffing. Even if your teaching credentials are printed on toilet paper I have to keep you around. Like I said, coming here for anyone who's got a choice is about as appealing as moving to Bludhaven."

"I'm…kind of impressed you know what Bludhaven is to be honest." Levi tried to joke. Mrs Finch just glared at him.

"I've confirmed your job is safe." She told him. "If I had options, maybe it would be different, but right now…"

"Look, I know you're pissed about what Hastings…Odious said." Levi told her.

"Really Levi? You think I'm that petty?" She asked him. "You could go out and bang half the Western Hemisphere for all I care…"

"Then why are you so angry then?" He asked her. "If you really don't care…?"

"Because I thought you were different!" She blurted out. "Levi, I didn't know who you were from Adam when you came here. All I knew was what you did for a living, and while people have all these ideas all these stories about what people like you do I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt."

"What?" He asked her.

"I'm an adult Levi, I know what people say about musicians, how it's all a life of hot and cold running one-night stands." She told him. "I've heard the kind of lyrics, how everything's all about hooking up and being a player and…"

"You…really haven't listened to Country Music, have you?" Levi chuckled. "Put it this way, if the protagonist gets divorced and their house burns down that's considered a GOOD ending." Mrs Finch didn't look at all amused by his joke.

"The thing is, I thought you were different than that." She told him. "But…I guess maybe that was just wishful thinking."

"Look, all of that stuff we talked about, that really is the real me." Levi told her as he started to stroke his neck awkwardly. "I will admit that I'm not proud of…"

"Of banging a woman to get what you want?" Mrs Finch asked him.

"Yeah, I can see why you think that's what happened." Levi sighed. "The thing is, I won't deny it, there was some contact, and some making out and then…"

"I really don't need the details!" She told him. "Unless…was it on this desk? If so I really need to wipe it down…"

"Um…we…we sang a duet." He told her.

"Well, I've never heard it referred to as that before!" Mrs Finch snorted.

"No, I mean…we really sang a duet!" He informed her. "She wanted to sing 'I'll be there' with me. God knows why! I just thought Principal Hastings was a crazy fan, but now that I know…"

"Wait, you really expect me to believe that?" Mrs Finch asked him. He just looked defeated.

"I can't expect you to believe anything, but I really want you to." Levi told her. "Look, you might have heard all sorts of stories about what 'people like me' get up to but I've had to put up with that bullshit most of my life."

"Yeah, I'm really sure…"

"Did you know I've never actually HAD a serious partner?" Levi asked her. "I've had some dates sure, but the half that weren't just looking to be able to brag on Facebook that they spent the night with Levi Weston and stuck around more than a couple of nights were quickly turned off when every tabloid in the country spreads stories of men and women I've never even heard of claiming I've spent the night with them."

"That happens to everyone…"

"And it means I find it hard to know who among the people I'm with is a real friend and who's just in it for what they can get." Levi told her. "The only thing that stops it driving me completely insane is I learned long ago not to care about what anyone that only knows about me from what they read in the National Enquirer thinks about me."

"So…why are you telling me this if you don't care?" She asked him.

"Because I don't care what they think about me." He told her. "I care what YOU think about me."

"I…I want to believe what you're telling me." Mrs Finch told him nervously. "But you've got to admit it really doesn't sound the most believable story."

Just then, she noticed something in the corner of the room. She hadn't spent much time in Principal Hastings' office, and so she hadn't noticed a small, black dome in one of the corners coming out of the ceiling.

"Wait a minute, is that…?" She asked, looking to it. She and Levi turned to look into it. "That…that looks kind of like a camera."

"Principal Hastings has a camera in her office?" Levi asked. "Why?"

"A lot of schools put in cameras places where teachers interact with students." Mrs Finch told him. "It makes things a lot easier when lawsuits come up."

"Lawsuits?" Levi asked her. She just looked at him.

"You really haven't been a teacher, long have you?" She asked him. She went to the desk and turned on the computer, starting to look through it. "The computer is linked up…the hard drive must be connected to this computer. It looks like the recordings go back over a year."

"So…what happened in this office that day is on there?" Levi asked her. She just looked to him and smiled.

"It looks that way." She told him. "So how about we play it?"

"Sure thing." Levi told her. "I've got nothing to hide."

With that, Mrs Finch just turned off the computer.

"You know, on second thoughts…we have a staff meeting to get to." She reminded him, gesturing him to follow her. Levi just shook his head.

"Whatever you say." He answered.

Sarah arrived at the school, finding Preston, Brody, Calvin and Hayley waiting outside, talking while they waited on her to arrive. As she got there, she kicked up her hoverboard into her hands. As she approached, she could see Preston smiling brightly and waving, before he realised their friends were around and stopping himself.

"Hey there guys." She greeted them. "Has anyone heard from Mick?"

"He got back late last night." Brody told them. "He talked with her for a while, he says she's doing well."

"That's good to hear." Hayley said with a shudder. "I can't imagine what it must have been like, being made a prisoner in your own home. God only knows what she did to her."

"Madame Odious is one sick puppy that's for sure." Calvin agreed.

"Anyway, Mick's called a team meeting after school." Brody told them. "He said that he's got a lot to discuss with us."

"What…what kind of stuff?" Preston asked, looking to Sarah.

"I don't know, he said he wants to brief the whole team at once." Brody said with a shrug. "He wouldn't even tell me last night."

"Um…it's just…we kind of already have plans." Sarah answered, gesturing between herself and Preston.

"Plans? What kind of plans?" Brody asked her.

"Well, we um…"

"…need to work on our business project!" Sarah completed the sentence. She and Preston exchanged a wordless glance as they mentally communicated much the same thought. They didn't really want to tell their friends about the date yet. They didn't want the others to start getting weird around them in the meantime. "Yeah, we're building it in my garage."

"Well, I'm sure a few minutes won't make a huge difference." Brody answered. "Ranger business has to be the priority."

"I guess you're right." Sarah sighed as the bell rang. "Um…I just need to stop by my locker for a moment…"

"I'll go with you." Preston answered as they left to go to her locker. Brody headed for his first class, but as he was about to go, Hayley held Calvin back for a moment.

"Hey, did you notice that?" She asked him.

"Notice what?" He replied.

"All the weird non-verbal communication between those two." Hayley answered, gesturing towards where Sarah and Preston were talking by her locker. Calvin just looked to her.

"You think those 'plans' they were talking about…"

"I think that maybe they're not being terribly forthright with us." Hayley said with a smile. "I think maybe we should keep an eye on them…ninja style."

"Spying on our own team?" Calvin asked her. "Isn't that a little…you know...?"

"We're just making sure our friends are safe and well, it's being caring and…"

"It's being kind of a busy-body." Calvin corrected her. She just sighed.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She answered. "So…we shouldn't…"

"Hey, did I say we wouldn't do it?" Calvin asked her. "I just wanted to make sure we weren't deluding ourselves."

"So, we're still doing it?" Hayley asked.

"After the meeting, we suit up." Calvin told her. With that, they fist-bumped and headed for their first class.


	24. Set The Date

The Rangers filed into the Ranger Base after school, finding Mick and Redbot waiting for them. Redbot really didn't have anywhere to go, since it was as yet not common for the people of Earth to see robots walking around the place. Preston and Sarah had taken him out when a Sci Fi Convention was in town, and he had been promised to be able to explore all he wanted come Halloween, but for now he was really restricted to the Ranger Base and the woods surrounding the area so long as he was careful not to be seen. Feeling sorry for him, Calvin had introduced Redbot to Social Media to allow him to 'meet' others and keep him from getting too lonely.

Mick was looking a little agitated and harassed, more so than usual. Mick was a slightly neurotic person by nature, and often did react to most situations with an extreme emotional response, but today he did look quite troubled, though was not quite as animated and flailing as he often did. It was almost more concerning to not see him running around flapping his arms like he was trying to take off.

"Alright, is everyone here?" He asked them.

"Mick, there are six of us." Calvin reminded him, pointing to each of them in turn. He held up six fingers. "We're all here."

"Right...yeah, you're right, of course." Mick told them. "Um...alright, as you all know, we have a fair bit to discuss..."

"Yeah, is this going to take long?" Preston asked, fidgeting a little in his chair. Mick just furrowed his brows, staring at him.

"Why, do you have somewhere else to be?" Brody asked him. "This is important."

"Well, yeah, I know that, but...I kind of have plans." Preston told him. Calvin and Hayley looked to each other and suppressed a chuckle at their friends' expense. They could see that Preston and Sarah were just itching to get out of the room and be on their way. While they had no doubt that they would work on the project as they had said, as per usual Sarah was trying to build some kind of brand new invention for a business project when a much simpler plan would be acceptable. Hayley had talked Calvin into doing a pet-grooming service, and in a previous year about four students had set up a shoe-shine business despite the fact very few students wore shoes, preferring trainers. However, they had ascertained that after that they were going on a date. They were still being very cagey about it all, but Calvin and Hayley were determined to find out all the gory details.

"Well the sooner we get started the sooner we finish." Brody reminded him. "Alright Mick, go ahead."

"Alright, as you know, we just found out that Principal Hastings was replaced by Madame Odious. She's been in this school, and right now, the board do not know how long she's been here." Mick recapped. "This does give us quite a few problems, because it means that not only are we effectively without a principal until she comes back..."

"Wait, she's coming back?" Hayley asked.

"Yes." Mick replied with a nod.

"WOW! I've got to say I'm impressed!" Hayley commented.

"Yeah, I mean...locked up in her basement like that, with Odious doing...God knows what to her...I wouldn't blame her if she wanted to leave town and never come back!" Calvin agreed.

"She's tougher than she looks." Mick told them. "A LOT tougher! She's determined to come back, and if she has her way I doubt it'll be too long before she does."

"I know Mrs Finch will welcome that news." Levi told them. "She's not exactly thrilled about being forced to take on the role."

"Well, that answers one question at least." Brody commented. "Mrs Finch is the Acting Principal?"

"Dead man's shoes...pardon the expression. No one else wants the job!" Levi informed them. "If she didn't take on the job they'd have to close the school."

"It does present us with a few problems." Mick told them. "Right now they've got no idea how long Madame Odious has been running things so they're reviewing pretty much everything she's done since the beginning of the year."

"Whoa that...that's a LOT of ground to cover!" Calvin answered. "Um...you two were hired during that time, and Brody was enrolled in the school! If they look too deeply into that..."

"Don't worry; those papers are bullet-proof." Sarah interrupted him. "Dr Morgan once told me she's been forging ID's since she was in High School. If she says those papers are air-tight, then you can trust her."

"Your old boss can forge air-tight government documents?" Hayley asked her. "That's a little scary!"

"You have no idea how scary she can be." Sarah commented.

"Either way it means we'll have to be a little more careful around here." Mick told them. "There's going to be a lot more scrutiny so we might want to avoid drawing too much attention to...you know...here."

"That's probably a good idea." Sarah announced, getting up. "So with that in mind I need to go..."

"We're not quite done here." Mick interrupted her. Sarah just sank back down slowly. "The other issue is, Odious talked to Jennifer a lot."

"Jennifer?" Calvin asked.

"Principal Hastings." Mick clarified. "The thing is...she knows about us."

"Wait, what?" Brody asked. "She knows...how much? What does...?"

"She knows pretty much everything." Mick answered as the others looked to him. "Odious told her I was involved, and from there it wasn't too hard for her to figure out who all of you were. She didn't have a lot to do in that basement, so she spent most of that time thinking and she pieced together a lot of it. I filled her in on the blanks."

"You did WHAT?" They all chorused, shooting forward in their chairs. Mick held up his hands.

"Now, now...to be fair...she knew pretty much everything anyway." Mick told them. "Secondly, she's pretty much convinced we saved her life, so she's assured me that she'll never tell anyone anything about us. She's still to make her statement to the authorities and wanted to run things by me first."

"She...she's not meant to be talking to anyone yet." Calvin answered. "The doctors said..."

"Believe me, she is a lot tougher than anyone gives her credit for!" Mick assured them. He could have put their minds at ease by telling them about the story she told him. One of her first teaching assignments took her to a school in a really rough neighbourhood, and she had almost lost her life when she confronted a student over some homework. She had almost been stabbed to death only a month into her first placement. The fact she was alive was remarkable, that she had continued in her career afterwards was nothing short of astounding. "But she's assured us not only will she keep our secret, but she'll also do what she can to make things a little easier for us. One thing Odious has shown us...inadvertently...is how useful it can be to have someone in a position of authority."

"I...guess that's true." Brody answered cautiously. "So where do we go from here?"

"Well, I'm going to Jennifer again tonight, just to see how she's progressing." Mick answered. Hayley mouthed the name 'Jennifer' to Calvin. "In the meantime, all we can do is keep our heads down and our guards up until she comes back."

"Alright then, I guess that's it." Brody answered. "Anyone want to train?"

"We, uh...we have to go." Sarah told them. "We're working on our project in my workshop."

"Yeah, we'll see you guys around." Preston answered as they both scrambled to gather their things and leave.

"They seem to be in a hurry." Brody commented with a shrug. "How about you guys?"

"I just need to stop by the pet store." Hayley lied expertly. "Calvin and I will be doing a pet-grooming service for our project. I need to pick up a few things."

"Yeah, and that puts me in the role of official bag-carrier." Calvin said with a smile. "See you guys around!"

As they left, Brody just looked to Levi who shrugged.

"Sure, I can go a few rounds with you." He answered, slapping Brody on the shoulder. "Maybe you can show me some more Romero moves."

"Sorry, some of those moves are family secrets." Brody chuckled. "But don't worry, you'll see them soon enough."

"Now that, that sounds like a bet!" Levi smirked as they went to get changed into their training gear.

In another part of the city, Victor and Monty were in the mall, taking a little break from their attempts to find a project for their business studies assignment. They had been procrastinating more than a little, and time was quickly catching up with them. Victor loved the food court, not because the quality was particularly good, the food was pretty much what anyone would expect for a place where someone could get a full meal for under five dollars, but because of the variety. In the same place, they could get Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Turkish, Italian, Sushi and Thai all within just a few paces of each other. It meant that they didn't even have to order the same kind of food if they didn't want to.

Victor sat down, setting down a plate of combination curry in front of himself and a jumbo plate of nachos in front of Monty. The plate was piled high with chilli, beans, peppers, olives, sour cream and cheese.

"I have no idea how you can eat that and still have less meat on you than a chicken wing." Victor commented. Monty didn't answer though. He was surprisingly quiet, and had been since the attack the previous day. Victor had started shovelling away his food when he saw Monty picking at his plate, hardly touching it. He just sighed.

"Come on Monty, snap out of it! We need that brain of yours!" Victor reminded him. Monty didn't answer though, just crunching down his first heavily topped nachos. "Come on, I've taken you to see Black Panther, AGAIN, I've bought you your favourite, what else can I do?"

Monty just sighed, staring at his tablet. Victor rolled his eyes, before waving to himself.

"Alright, go ahead, tell Uncle Victor. What is it?" He asked him. Monty just looked to him.

"I'm...I'm trying to find that girl from the race." He told him. Victor smirked as he heard this.

"You're trying to find her? A girl whose name you didn't even get, and who you met only once for not even a minute?" Victor asked him. "Wow, she must be something else. She has bitten you hard!"

Monty turned his tablet around, showing Victor a picture of her. Victor took the tablet from him and inspected it, before looking to Monty.

"Where did you...?"

"I've been searching all the websites, looking for any pictures I can find of her." Monty told him. "I've been Tweeting, posting on Facebook, Instagram, asking if anyone knows her or how to find her..."

"You know, SOME people would call that stalking." Victor teased him. Monty just glared at him. Victor was only light-heartedly teasing him; he knew that Monty didn't really have much luck or much confidence with others, especially girls. He looked to the picture again. "She's pretty cute."

"She is." Monty replied dreamily as he stared at the picture. Ace and his friends came by, having seen them on their way to get some pizza.

"Now isn't this nice?" He asked, gesturing to the scene. "Enjoying your date?"

"Wow, gay jokes!" Victor responded. "Way to embrace the twenty first century Ace."

"Yeah, you might dress like it's the 1950's, but you don't need to act like it too." Monty chipped in. Victor looked to him, almost impressed. He knew that Monty was always a lot more confident in Ace's presence when he was around, but it wasn't like him to be confident enough to throw insults back.

"What did you say?" Ace snapped at him.

"You know Ace..." Victor was about to say, before noticing that he and his friends all looked very different. They all bore some pretty obvious bruises and signs they had been in a fight pretty recently. Given the state of them, it was clearly not a fight that had gone well for them! Ace had a black eye, and a pretty badly swollen jaw, and the guy standing behind him had his nose strapped up, clearly broken. He almost did a spit-take with his food. "What the hell happened to you?"

"We had a bit of a rumble." Ace told him. "It's no big deal."

"A rumble, with what? A combine harvester?" Monty laughed.

"HEY!" Ace called out.

"Ace, seriously it doesn't look like much of a fight, more like a massacre!" Victor teased him. Ace and his friends looked decidedly uncomfortable as he said this. All things said and done, it was a pretty one-sided fight. Calvin had pretty much taken them apart with ease. "Who the hell did that to you?"

"A...a...a...a bunch of guys!" Ace lied. "Really, really big guys...I think some of them might have been college kids!"

Ace's friends all shuffled and looked more than a little uncomfortable about this. They wouldn't dare to contradict Ace's version of events, mainly because they didn't want to admit that they had lost a three-on-one fight convincingly.

"You...you took on some college kids?" Monty asked him. Ace just shrugged.

"I wouldn't expect a loser like you to understand." Ace answered. Victor started looking around.

"Where's Cherry?" He asked. Ace just coughed.

"I chucked her." Ace lied again. The fact was that after he hurt her, the very act that prompted Calvin into the fight in the first place, Cherry had texted him only once to tell him she was done with him and had ignored all his calls, texts and messages since then. "I was done with her, so I kicked her to the curb! I can get another girl like that!" He snapped his fingers to make a point. Victor looked out the window as something caught his attention. It was a horrid brown, slightly rusted station wagon, one he recognised.

"Wait, is that...is that Uncle Jack's car?" Victor asked him. "Did you come here in Uncle Jack's car?"

"Shut up alright?" Ace snapped. "The Beast just needs a little work done on it and..."

"I thought you did all the work on The Beast yourself?" Monty chortled. Ace just started to turn red. "Oh yeah, you sound like such a winner right now Ace."

"Hey, can we get a couple of cartons to take this to go?" Victor called to the counter staff. "See you around Ace; we wouldn't want to interrupt all this winning you seem to be doing!"

As they walked away, Ace kicked over a chair, but had to sheepishly pick it up and right it when he saw a security guard glaring his way. After getting their dinner boxed up, Victor put his arm around Monty, leading him away.

"Come on Monty." He told him. "We'll look for your mystery girl for a bit, and then we'll really get to work on this project."

"That sounds great!" Monty answered as Ace and his friends sat down, waiting for their order to be prepared.

Up on the Warrior Dome, Galvanax went into a drinking hole, searching around. He moved, ever so slightly as a monster hit the floor just short of him unconscious. He smirked as he saw this, looking up and seeing Drillion standing at the bar, his weapon still slick with the other patron's blood. He turned back to the bar, pounding a fist on it and screamed at the barman.

"Same again!" He called out. The barman put a tankard the size of a bucket down in front of him at which he grabbed it and started to chug. Galvanax walked up to him.

"I'm a little surprised to see you here." Galvanax commented.

"The Princess does not need..."

"I'm a little surprised she lets her pet off his leash." Galvanax stated. Drillion turned to face him.

"What did you call me?" He growled.

"So, I guess she doesn't mind you going off to play as long as you return when she calls 'heel'." Galvanax taunted him. Drillion took another long swig, glaring at the Galaxy Warriors Champion.

"I go where I please." Drillion stated flatly. "No one can tell me otherwise."

"Well, you certainly are impressive against the local drunks." Galvanax replied as he looked to the monster on the floor. "Though I wonder how you will fare against a REAL foe."

"Perhaps we should find out!" Drillion suggested. There was suddenly a lot of noise as furniture was overturned and doors flew open as the patrons and staff scrambled to get away. There was even smashing glass as some of the patrons in their panic and desperation to get away took their chances throwing themselves through the windows! The barman leapt into the cellar and shut the hatch behind him, leaving the two monsters alone in the bar.

"You haven't earned that honour." Galvanax told him. "Monsters have to defeat 25 opponents to get a shot at me. Of course, if I choose to make a personal challenge, that rule can be bent."

"Just say the word!" Drillion snarled.

"Like I said, you're not worthy." Galvanax told him. "Prove me wrong...Royal pet!"

Drillion finished his tankard and stormed out of the tavern to go to his quarters. Galvanax, seeing he was now alone in the tavern walked around the bar and helped himself to a bottle. He ripped out the stopper with his teeth, spitting it across the room, before taking a long swig.

"That was far too easy." He remarked.


	25. Friendly Eavesdropping

Hayley was in a tree, across the street from Sarah's house, keeping a close eye on things through a set of binoculars. She thought she might have hit a snag in her plan when she realised that she and Sarah were indeed going to work on their project in Sarah's garage, but fortunately since it was a nice night, Sarah had opted to open the large roller door for some fresh air while they worked. It meant that from a distance, she could still see them.

She could see Sarah working on what was presumably her project. She couldn't see exactly what it was, but since it was a machine of some description and knowing Sarah's flair for engineering she was sure she probably wouldn't understand it without Sarah explaining it anyway…and even then, she was sure she'd be nodding and pretending she understood most of it anyway.

Sarah was working, but at the same time had her cell phone trapped between her shoulder and her ear. She had figured another flaw in her plan with this, being so far out they couldn't hear anything that was going on. She had no idea who Sarah was talking to or what she was talking about. She was doing her best to try and lip-read, but she was having a little difficulty focusing the binoculars enough to be able to see her lips clearly. One benefit of her newfound ability to interpret communication was if she could see Sarah she was sure she'd be able to tell what she was saying.

"So, what's happening?" Calvin asked as he arrived back. Hayley almost fell out of the tree and had to scramble to catch her binoculars. She glared at him for startling her. "Hey, don't look at me! Ninja rule number one, when running surveillance never get so focused on the target you don't notice anything else around you, especially when in enemy territory."

"We're in suburban Summer Cove, not Downtown Baghdad." She reminded him.

"Yes, a neighbourhood which is full of nosey soccer moms, nosey pensioners and a neighbourhood watch scheme." He reminded her in return. "Any one of those would just love to know what a couple of teenagers dressed in leather ninja suits are doing up a tree with a set of binoculars."

"Point taken I guess." Hayley grumbled. "I can't hear anything out here."

"Why not use the Ninja-Comm?" He asked her. "You know, just open up Sarah's end?"

"Do you know how to do that?" Hayley asked. He just shrugged. "That's more Sarah's department. In the meantime, I'm left trying to lip-read with the world's cheapest set of binoculars."

"So, what is she saying?" Calvin asked her.

"I was hoping she'd be making a reservation or something, give us an idea where we're going so we can get out of this tree." She told him. "All I can tell is it's something about her dad. She keeps saying the word 'dad'…unless it's mad…or sad or…yeah I think it's dad."

"Well that's not really that surprising." Calvin commented, unwrapping something wrapped in foil and taking a bite. "He is still in the hospital doing rehab."

"Did you…did you go for a burrito?" Hayley asked him.

"Hey, all this surveillance is hungry work!" He protested. "There's this great place…"

"Calvin will you concentrate on this? This is important!" Hayley chastised him as she thought about it for a moment. "We definitely need a closer look."

"We're right across the street." Calvin reminded her.

"You keep an eye on them out here." Hayley told him. "I'm going around back to see if I can get closer."

"Hayley…Hayley!" He rushed out, but she was already too far away to hear him unless he shouted. He had to remind himself about his own warning and the fact that it would be highly embarrassing, not to mention take a lot of explaining to Sarah if they ended up getting chased out of the neighbourhood by a bunch of her neighbours armed with brooms. He took up the binoculars and watched as Preston came back.

Over the street, Sarah was nodding and smiling.

"That's great to hear! I'm sorry I couldn't be there…I promise I'll come and visit at the weekend." She told him. "Yes dad, I know this year's important…yes, I'll be fine…um…I'm not actually cooking tonight, I'm going out. Yes, with Preston…dad, that's none of your…of course I'll be careful…dad, you have MET Preston, right? He's a perfect gentleman! He'd never try anything like that on the first…yes dad, I am admitting this is a date…dad, I promise I'll be fine. Yes, I love you too."

She hung up and turned to see Preston arriving back with a couple of juice boxes.

"Perfect gentleman?" Preston asked her. "He'd never try anything? I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult."

"A compliment of course." She giggled in response. "It's one of the reasons I like you."

"I called my dad's guy, he made us a reservation at his favourite spot, 'Truffe d'or'." He told her. Sarah's eyebrows raised.

"Wow, that place is super fancy." She commented. "I heard it's booked up for like two years in advance. The Tien name really does have a lot of sway in this town doesn't it?"

"I…I wasn't trying to show off or…"

"Preston, it's fine, I've walked past that place a few times! It looks super fancy! I've always wanted to try it!" She told him. "Alright, that should just about do it, time to give it one quick test."

"The machine's ready?" Preston asked her.

"Well, I still need to close up the shell but not much point in doing that until I know it works." She told him. "Um…alright, hand me those Tupperware's."

"Alright, let's see what we have." Preston answered. "Um…tuna?"

"Yeah, that should be a challenge." She told him, tipping it into a funnel in the top. He just shook his head.

"OK, well next we have…sweetcorn?"

"Perfect!" Sarah answered, adding it. Preston just looked a little worried. "Hey, I said this thing should be able to make a delicious cookie out of anything, we have to be prepared for people trying to prove that wrong."

"Um…alright, then have some…lemon." Preston said, handing her the last Tupperware.

"Great, that's perfect! That should just about do it!" She told him as she started it up. "Alright, everything seems to be running smoothly…I don't see any sparks so that's a good sign."

"Should I be worried?" Preston asked her.

"Hey, there's a few risks in engineering." She reminded him. "But it looks like I'm keeping set of eyebrows number 3 today."

"There's a smell, that's kind of…kind of good actually!" Preston stated. Sarah smiled and nodded.

"It does indeed." She answered. "Now just…keep your fingers crossed."

Around the back of the house, Hayley was just coming over the hedge, and making her way across the back yard. She had been around Sarah's house a few times, so she knew the layout, but it was the first time she had ever been trying to break in. She could hear machinery running in the garage, but it was so loud she couldn't hear anything else, not without getting so close she risked being seen.

She looked up, seeing Sarah's window open ajar. She couldn't eavesdrop on what they were saying, but she figured may be if she could just take a little peek inside, maybe she might see a reservation or an outfit laid out, something that might give her some kind of clue as to what she and Preston were planning to do. Looking around for anyone watching, she quickly shimmied her way up the drainpipe to Sarah's window, taking a look inside.

"You don't lay out an outfit before a date?" Hayley commented as she glanced around the room, looking for any obvious outfit.

"Hayley, are you there?" Calvin asked her.

"Um…not quite." Hayley told him. "What are they doing?"

"Still working on that machine thing." Calvin told her.

"I know, I can hear it, I can't hear what they're saying." She told him. "I can't see an outfit laid out for the date in Sarah's room either."

"Whoa, wait…you're looking in her room?" Calvin asked her.

"Kind of?" Hayley offered.

"Um…Hayley, this goes a little above and beyond eavesdropping." Calvin warned her.

"I'm just having a peek in the window." Hayley assured him. "I can't see any notes out or anything…"

"So, we're back to following them when they leave." Calvin answered.

"Wait, Sarah's diary is on her desk." Hayley answered. "She writes everything in there, she's shown me quite a few things in it."

"Yeah, and it's inside the room." He reminded her. "So…"

"The window's open." Hayley stated. "I'm going in."

"Hayley, you can't break into your best friend's bedroom!" Calvin told her. "Hayley, you…you're already in the room, aren't you?"

"Kind of?" Hayley offered as she slipped inside, moving quietly. Up here, she could still hear the machine downstairs. "Alright, I've got the diary."

"Fine, then just read it and get out of there!" He told her.

"Damn it, she's not written anything for today yet!" Hayley told him. "I still can't see an outfit…she hasn't laid out her outfit for her first date? That is so…gah! I had my outfit laid out days before!"

"Hey, when we went on our first date I waited on you for three quarters of an hour while you got changed!" Calvin recalled. Hayley realised her accidental admission.

"Um…I was…trying to mentally prepare?" She offered weakly. Calvin just groaned.

"Why don't you just admit you kept me waiting on purpose?" He asked her.

"Oh, like it was such a chore, my dad loves you!" Hayley answered as she made sure to return the diary to the position it had been in before so Sarah wouldn't notice anything was amiss. "Half the time it seemed more like you were his kid than I was."

"Alright, whatever, just get out of there!" Calvin told her.

"Hang on, I've got an idea." Hayley said with a smile. "I can always interview a witness."

"What witness?" Calvin asked her.

"Someone who's been in her room all week." Hayley said, going over to Winny's cage and opening the door. "Hey there Winny, it's me, remember me?"

"Hayley?" Winny asked, looking up from her food bowl. "I…didn't know you were here. I thought…"

"Yeah, I'm just…here doing a favour for Sarah." Hayley told her. "I was just wondering if I could ask you a little bit about her plans for tonight?"

"You're grilling her rabbit for information?" Calvin sighed as he shook his head in disbelief.

"Cal, why don't you just eat your burrito and warn me if they leave the garage?" Hayley asked him, before taking Winny out of her cage and cuddling her softly. "Alright Winny, let's talk."

Down in the garage, Sarah and Preston were both watching the machine, keeping a careful eye on it as it produced its first ever cookie. Sarah had run numerous tests on each of the parts and processes, but this was the first time running the whole thing at once.

The machine shook a little bit, and it was a lot louder than it should be since they were running it without the shell so Sarah could keep an eye on the connections to make sure nothing was reacting in a way it shouldn't. She and Preston both had their fingers crossed in anticipation.

A few moments later, a large cookie rolled out of the conveyer belt on the side. She picked it up carefully with a napkin and presented it to Preston. "Alright, time for the moment of truth."

"So, I'm your guinea pig?" He asked her.

"I wouldn't want to ruin my appetite before my date gets me to the restaurant, would I?" She asked him, fluttering her eyelashes at him. Preston just sighed and took the cookie.

"Alright, I guess." He stated. He noticed Sarah putting a bucket down on the table. "Um…what's that for?"

"Best to be prepared." She answered, taking out a notebook. "Alright, tuna, sweetcorn and lemon, test one."

Preston looked a little worried as he closed his eyes, before taking a bite. He stood silently for a good while, before chewing it.

"What? What's it like?" She asked him. "Are you feeling…?"

"It's…it's great!" He complimented her. "Like…if I had half a dozen of these we wouldn't need to go to the restaurant!"

"Oh, we're still going alright." Sarah answered. "I just need to close this up and get washed up and changed."

"I can do that." Preston told her. Sarah just looked at her. "Close up the shell I mean. I mean, I guess I should do something on this machine right? It can't be much different than putting together my cabinets, right?"

"If…if you're sure." Sarah answered, handing him a screwdriver and a few screws. "I'll be as quick as I can."

"Alright now, let's get this done." Preston said as he looked to the device. Sarah left the garage, closing the door behind her.

Across the street, Calvin was sitting finishing off his burrito. He let out a long, satisfied moan as he finished up, sucking on his fingers for any stray sauce and cheese.

"Now that was a good burrito." He commented. "Hayley, we are really going to have to go back there one time. I met some girl named Chloe who recommended it and I have to say, that girl really knows her burritos!"

"Calvin, are you seriously using the comms to talk about burritos right now?" Hayley asked him. "I'm kind of in the middle of something!"

"Oh right, breaking into your best friend's house to interrogate her pet rabbit about her plans." Calvin commented. "You know Hayls, at some point this went a little beyond friendly eavesdropping and went into the territory of being more than a little creepy and invasive."

"Oh, come on Calvin, it doesn't count when it's friends!" Hayley assured him.

"Um…yeah, it kind of does." He answered. "I remember you didn't talk to me for two days when I looked in your purse for tic tacs."

"Just…just…keep an eye on them, will you?" She asked.

"Hayley, they're in the garage, I can see them right…" Calvin paused as he noticed something. He checked his binoculars. "Um…Hayley, Sarah isn't in the garage."

"WHAT?" Hayley asked him.

"She's….she's not in the garage, she must have left!" Calvin answered.

"No shit sherlock!" Hayley answered, putting Winny back in her cage and closing the door. "Dammit Calvin you had ONE job!"

She heard a creek and gulped.

"Dammit, she's on the stairs!" Hayley stated. "Calvin, you really screwed this one up!"

"I screwed this up?" Calvin asked her.

Hayley heard the door handle starting to trigger and looked to it. She gulped as she saw the handle beginning to turn.


	26. The Date Night

Sarah was humming contentedly as she came into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She wasn't paying much attention as she started to get undressed. She looked across to Winny in her cage and came across, seeing her bounding around.

"Hey there girl, you're pretty active tonight." She commented. "You've barely touched your spinach."

Winny's nose twitched as she came to the front of the cage to see her owner. Sarah just checked her food and her water.

"You've got plenty there, so you should be fine for the night." She remarked. She looked to the rabbit and smiled as she started to undress. She discarded her clothes carelessly on the floor right by the foot of the bed. Hayley, who had slipped under the bed, saw the clothes hit the floor and quickly shielded her eyes as Sarah went into the bathroom for a shower. Hayley looked around quickly to see if there was a way for her to slip out. Hiding under the bed hadn't exactly been planned out, it was just the first place she could think of to hide. She was starting to regret it. Sarah's room wasn't particularly well organised, and under her bed appeared to be no exception. Quite a few things were under the bed, just kicked there instead of put away carefully.

"Hayley, Hayley, are you alright?" Calvin asked over the Ninja-Comm.

"That was WAY too close!" She whispered. Sarah started singing in the shower as she got washed up. "Any sign of Preston?"

"He closed up the garage once he finished putting that machine together." Calvin told her. "I can't see him now."

"Damn it, he must be downstairs." Hayley grumbled, trying to think of escape routes. If Preston was in the house downstairs, then she couldn't slip out of the bedroom door while Sarah was in the shower. Sarah started to sing as she washed up. If it wasn't for the situation, Hayley would have to say she was a little impressed, Sarah seemed to have a pretty decent singing voice, albeit not a talent she particularly spent much time on.

"Hayley, you have to get out of there!" Calvin whispered to her.

"Oh, really, that hadn't occurred to me!" Hayley responded sarcastically. "Any ideas of exactly HOW I do that?"

"How about the way you went in?" Calvin suggested. Just then, Hayley could hear the shower shutting off. "Dammit, she's coming!"

Hayley went quiet as Sarah came into the room, drying herself off. She tossed her towel on the floor right by Hayley's face.

"Alright Sarah, just…stay calm…this is Preston, you've known him for ages." Sarah said to herself as she tried to affirm herself as she put on her underwear. She took a deep breath. "Come on Sarah, you've fought monsters on and off for about a year now, this is just a date. You can do this."

She went into her wardrobe and pulled out some clothes, tossing them onto the bed. She started to rummage around outfits for something to wear. Meanwhile, Hayley settled in under the bed. It didn't look like she was going anywhere any time soon.

Up on the Warrior Dome, Drillion was trudging through the corridors, still seething over his meeting with Galvanax. The Galaxy Warriors Champion didn't make a habit of associating with the dregs of society when he didn't have to. He didn't spend much time going anywhere that didn't enhance his image or legend as the current Champion, but he had obviously gone out of his way to seek Drillion out.

Drillion was no simpleton, he knew exactly what Galvanax was up to, trying to needle him, trying to coax him into a battle, but right now he had other matters on his mind. Right now, he was here to protect the sitting monarch, Princess Viera.

The Princess' ascension had caused more than a little friction across the Lion Galaxy. There were many among the Noble Families that saw only a young woman, barely any more than a child, that they were expected to follow and bow to. A child who even in almost a year since her father had been slaughtered on intergalactic television for all to see had still not even set a date for her coronation. While ascension was automatic upon the death of the previous monarch, by tradition the title of King or Queen would only be bestowed during the coronation. Most rulers arranged their coronation as soon as possible after the death of the previous monarch. It wasn't the first time that a new ruler was crowned quite literally with the blood of their predecessor still dripping from their hands. Viera had delayed her coronation to deal with the schism that had occurred within the Lion Galaxy following her father's death, as warlords, nobles, and prominent commoners looking to seize power, lands and titles at the barrel of a gun became emboldened by the death of the Thresher of Worlds. It was yet another reason why some saw her as weak. Although she prioritised security within her domain over a crown that she had still to have placed upon her head, many simply wondered how they could be expected to follow a ruler who wouldn't even claim the crown they were entitled to. Drillion, if he was honest, was one of them.

Drillion had led an unsuccessful coup against Viera's father many years before. More than half his followers had been put to the sword during the war, and Drillion was defeated and captured. He had been tortured for almost four years before he finally agreed to bend his knee to Viera's father for all to see. Viera's father, seeing a powerful warrior, had taken him into his service, but not without extracting payment. The first payment was Drillion's left hand, the hand that had raised a banner against his King. The other…Drillion was forced to put the other half of his followers to death at his own hand, before he got his new weapon to replace the hand he lost.

However, while he feared and respected the King, he had seen Viera as she was raised, seen the young Princess as she flinched at public executions, as she questioned the brutality of her father's treatment of his enemies and those who criticised him. He had seen her speak, albeit ultimately unsuccessfully, in support of those who would stand against her father's words. With the King gone, his service passed to Viera, and as he saw her stumble and doubt and struggle with even the simplest of decisions, refusing to unleash the full fury of her armies on those who would speak against her, he saw only the child that would never earn the respect of her people.

Galvanax's words, while harsh, just pricked at feelings that Drillion already had. Viera barked commands at him as her father had, though instead of instructing him to strike, on many occasions she instructed him to stand down, calling him to heel when he should be unleashed. Galvanax was right, until she learned the ways of a strong leader, he was no beast of war, he was a pet. He was sickened to think of that, and more and more was wondering whether the time had come for him to try his hand, his other hand, at another coup.

"DRILLION!" He heard a call over his communicator. He just groaned and held it up.

"Princess Viera?" He asked. It was as much a test as anything else. She did not correct him on her title. She didn't insist he called her 'your highness'.

"Meet me by the ship!" She told him. "I wish to inspect the weapons systems."

"The weapons systems?" Drillion asked. "Princess Viera, we will not need…"

"Do as I say Lord Drillion!" She snapped in response. "I am taking no chances!"

He didn't bother to respond, he just turned his communicator off and headed for the ship. The Rangers were an obstacle to overcome, and everyone was now expecting to see the battle. Of course, since he was likely the one to be doing much of the fighting, if he was the one to strike the final blow…maybe the time had come for him to take matters into his own hand.

Down in the first floor, Preston had just finished getting changed, and left the downstairs bathroom, heading back for the living room. He was still buttoning up his shirt as he got there.

He had opted for a pretty simple outfit. He wanted Sarah to know that he was making an effort, but at the same time he didn't want to make it look like he was expecting anything from the date. He had opted for a very simple pale blue button up shirt and black suit pants. He had shined up his shoes for the occasion. He looked into the mirror over the fireplace and checked his hair. He started stroking his chin.

"Should I have shaved?" He asked himself, before taking a deep breath. "Alright Preston, just…calm down, it's Sarah. You know her, you've been friends for ages."

He started pacing around, trying to think of how the night should go. He had booked the restaurant, it was only a few blocks, so they could easily walk there and it was a nice night so they could even take something of a scenic route and still be there in good time.

He checked his wallet, being sure he had money to cover the date. He had asked Sarah out, so it seemed like it was only right that he pay. She was independent and he was sure she wasn't into the whole idea of having a guy take care of her, but since he had been the one to ask, he felt like he really should be the one to pay for this date.

He sat on the couch and started drumming his hands on his thighs.

Up in her room, Sarah had finally chosen an outfit. After a lot of thought and second-guessing, she had decided to go for a simple pink t-shirt and light blue jeans. She didn't want to look like she was trying too hard and scare Preston off. She knew that she had a few nerves about tonight and imagined Preston had to have a few as well.

She sat down in front of the mirror and tried to figure out whether or not to tie her hair up. She eventually figured she would leave it down, since that was how Preston was used to seeing her.

She got up and headed over to Winny's cage.

"Alright girl, what do you think? How do I look?" Sarah asked. Winny just twitched her nose and made a little noise. Hayley could understand exactly what Winny was saying and was glad that Sarah couldn't. Sarah kissed her fingers and touched them to the top of the cage. "Thanks, Winny."

With that, she went to the bedroom window and pulled it closed, locking it, before heading out of her bedroom. She ran down the stairs, stumbling a little as she went. She found Preston in the Living Room, drumming his feet and his hands, awaiting her arrival. As he saw her, he got up, looking to her and smiled.

"Wow, you look…you look great." Sarah said with a nervous smile. "Um…I almost feel a little under-dressed."

"No, it's fine, you look, you look great!" Preston stammered out. "So…um…you want to go?"

"Yeah, just…let me get my jacket." She told him. She gathered up her jacket and came up to Preston, who was holding out an arm for her. She saw this, and hesitated for a moment, trying to remind herself that they had done this before. She hooked her arm with his as they walked out of the house, closing the door behind them.

"Hayley, Sarah and Preston just left the house." He told her.

"Alright, keep eyes on them and keep me posted!" Hayley told him. "I'll give it ten minutes to make sure they're gone and slip out. I'll meet up with you."

"You know, we've had some pretty weird dates, but this is kind of a new level." Calvin told her, preparing to make his move as Preston and Sarah walked down the street.

"Oh, don't pretend you don't love this." Hayley responded. Calvin smiled.

"Right, they're far enough ahead." He told her. "I love you Hayls."

With that, he leapt from the tree and started heading along the street, using the bushes and fences for cover.

Back up on the Warrior Dome, Princess Viera had returned to her ship, which was docked at the side, while Drillion stood guard. Viera, while having a lot less desire for battle than her father, had shown since her youth an aptitude for technology. It was something that her father encouraged, hoping that encouraging her to appreciate and work with the instruments of destruction that kept them in power she would eventually come to terms with their use. Drillion didn't see the point in checking on the ship. It had been in full working order when they left the Lion Galaxy, and he doubted anything would have changed in that time. He also didn't think that the ship would be necessary. He had wiped out planets on his own. He had even wiped out around half of his own followers by himself. He somehow doubted that six children with fancy suits would provide him with much difficulty.

He heard a rattle a little further down the corridor and turned to face it.

"Who's there?" He demanded. "Show yourself!"

He started to make his way down the hall, searching for the source of the noise. As he got to the end of the corridor, he couldn't see anyone, but something still troubled him. He took a long sniff, before reaching out, grabbing something in the air, and slamming it against the wall. Wrench's holographic camouflage shimmered and dissipated, leaving him visible. Drillion held his drill weapon level with his face.

"YOU! You're one of Galvanax's warriors, aren't you?" He demanded. "So, sabotage is his game now?"

"No, no! It's not, I promise!" Wrench shrieked as he held up his hands defensively. "I'm just running a few checks, doing some tuning, I promise!"

"You expect me to believe that?" Drillion demanded. Wrench waved his hands frantically.

"I…I'm working for Cosmo! He insists I check over all the equipment of the warriors on his show, make sure that everyone is able to put on the best show possible!" Wrench told him. "Princess Viera refused our help, but he wanted me to make sure her ship was ready in case she called it! The Rangers' Zords are really powerful and he…"

"ENOUGH!" Drillion answered, tossing Wrench onto the floor. He powered up his drill weapon. "Get out! If I see you on this ship again, I'll be sending you back to Cosmo in pieces!"

"That…that weapon, can I see it?" He asked. Drillion just growled.

"If you don't get off this ship right now, you'll get a VERY close look at it!" He warned Wrench.

"But…but I think I can upgrade…"

He was silenced as Drillion started it up. Wrench took to heel and ran before Drillion could carry out his threat. Drillion just went back to his position, standing guard over the cockpit where Princess Viera was working, completely unaware that one of her hosts had been on her ship and in perfect position to sabotage or even assassinate her. If she didn't learn and learn quickly, her time was growing short.

Sarah and Preston arrived at the restaurant, after taking a long walk through the park. It wasn't like they hadn't gone through the park before, but in the early evening, it was a little different. Most of the work crowd using it as a shortcut home were gone, the kids had gone home for dinner and it was the time between when young couples would use it for a little privacy and when the night time crowd came out.

They approached the front of the restaurant, walking arm in arm as they approached. Sarah was still laughing at one of his stories.

"You're kidding right?" She asked him.

"I swear to God, I was in that box for three hours!" Preston told her. "Mom was beside herself when she finally let me out! She told me I wasn't to do tricks like that again unless someone was there to keep an eye on me in case things went wrong."

"That's probably a good idea." She chuckled as he concluded. Preston looked to her a little awkwardly.

"Sarah, I really need to go." He told her.

"Go?" She asked. "We just got here!"

"No, I mean…I need to…go!" He explained, gesturing to a sign. She saw that it was for the bathrooms. "I promise I'll be right back."

"I'll just check in for our tables." Sarah told him.

As Preston left as quickly as dignity would allow, wishing he'd had the foresight to go when he was getting changed in the Thompson House before they left. Sarah approached the desk and put her jacket on the desk. The Greeter just looked to the jacket, and then to her.

"Can I…help you?" He asked, looking to Sarah. She smiled.

"Oh, is this not where I check my jacket?" She asked him. "I have a table booked for tonight."

"Really." He asked, staring her up and down. "I think you might have the wrong place madam."

"No, this is where we're booked." Sarah answered. "Table for two under the name of Tien."

"Tien. As in Marcus Tien?" He asked her. Sarah couldn't mistake the look on his face. She was suddenly very aware of her casual clothing. While she knew it was a fancy place, restaurants tended not to enforce a dress code in the modern era. Most were happy just to get business, and Preston had assured her the Tien name meant a lot in this city, the reason they had a booking in a restaurant that normally was booked out up to two years in advance. "Nice try miss, somehow I don't think you look much like a Tien. I definitely think you're in the wrong place. There is a pizza parlour down the street that I think would suit you better."

"Wait…what's that meant to mean?" She asked him, standing defiantly. The man picked up her jacket and held it out for her.

"Madam, please leave without a fuss." He told her.

"A fuss?" Sarah demanded. "I haven't BEGUN to make a fuss yet!"

"If you don't leave, I will call the police." The greeter told her. "You are clearly in the wrong place, but there's no way I would let you take a booking from…"

"Hey, sorry about that." Preston said as he arrived. "I thought you were getting our table."

"Well I tried, but this guy was going to throw me out!" Sarah snapped angrily.

"Wait, what?" Preston asked. "You were going to throw her out?"

"Sir, this young woman claimed to have a table booked under Tien…"

"We do!" Preston told him, showing him his driver's licence. "Preston Tien!"

"Mr…Mr Tien!" The greeter rushed out nervously, realising his mistake. "I…I'm sorry, I thought…"

"You didn't think you judgemental jackass!" Sarah yelled at him. "You looked at me and how I was dressed and decided I wasn't good enough to eat here!"

"Mr Tien, I'm sorry…"

"Don't apologise to me, apologise to her!" Preston demanded. The greeter started to stammer out an awkward apology, but Sarah just cut her off.

"You know what? Never mind, you clearly don't mean it anyway!" Sarah told him. "Preston, let's go somewhere that wants our business!"

Preston glared angrily at the greeter before they both left. As they got outside, Calvin had to dive quickly behind a car to prevent being seen.

"I'm sorry Sarah, really I am!" Preston told her. "I can't believe…"

"Preston, I know you didn't have anything to do with that." She told him. "Please, let's just go somewhere else."

"Where would you like to go?" He asked her. Sarah almost suggested the Pizza Parlour, but remembering that was where the jerk at the desk recommended, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction. Her eyes came to rest on a poster and she smiled.

"Preston, how about there?" She asked. Preston looked to the poster and smiled.

"The carnival?" He asked her. She just nodded.

"I thought about going, but I knew it was only going to be in town a couple of nights." She told him. "So, what do you say?"

"I say this place can keep their escargot." He told her, waving to the restaurant dismissively. "I'm in the mood for a corn dog and roller coasters."

As they left, Calvin got onto his Ninja-Comm.

"Hayley, how do you feel about corn dogs?" He asked. "It looks like we're going to the carnival."


	27. Carnival Date

Levi and Brody were still in the yard behind Shop Class, training hard. Levi backed off a little from Brody holding up his hands as they took a moment to take a breath.

"Don't you have homework to do or something?" Levi asked him.

"I'm doing it." Brody told him with a smirk. "I'm whipping the new guy into shape!"

"Yeah, whatever you say, we both know we're dead even." Levi responded as he used a towel to mop off some sweat. "No, I mean this business project of yours. The others are all off doing it, but so far I haven't even seen you meet up with your partner."

"My partner's Benny." Brody told him as he took a sip from a water bottle. Levi just looked to him a little curiously.

"Benny?" Levi asked. He was embarrassed to admit that he had no idea who Brody was talking about. He was still new to the school, but he liked to think he had a good grasp of who most of his students were, though there were of course those that just never really stood out in any way. There were those that were always easy to remember. Some stood out for good reasons, such as being exceptional students, those that just seemed to pick up the subject matter with ease and showed not just an understanding but a real mastery of it. There was a girl in his class that was able to play a piano at a level that could get her into any concert hall in the country. There were also those that were notable for…well…less admirable reasons. The class clowns, the sociopaths, and those that seemed to almost exist for no other reason than to test the very limits of a teacher's patience. Those in between those extremes though, those were the ones it was tougher to remember.

"Big kid, red hair, thick glasses." Brody said, rhyming off the most notable traits he could think of about him. If Brody was honest, he couldn't really say much about the kid either. He'd only talked to him as far as he could remember once when he found out they had been paired for their project. With Preston and Sarah choosing to work together and Hayley and Calvin choosing to work together, Brody was left having to talk to pair with someone else in the class, and he didn't actually know anyone else. Mrs Finch had ended up pairing Brody with Benny when both of them had ended up not being picked by anyone else.

"So, shouldn't you both be going over ideas or something?" Levi asked him.

"We did." Brody told him. "We're going to do a car wash."

"Wow…you must have spent a whole three minutes on that idea!" Levi teased him. Brody just threw a towel at his face.

"Hey, I have no idea what he can do, so we had to go with something that doesn't require much start-up or much equipment or anything." Brody explained. "A couple of buckets, some sponges, soap, water, how can we miss?"

"OK, I might have been a little unfair when I said you spent three minutes on that idea." Levi told him. "It's probably more like one."

"Longer than it'll take me to wipe the floor with you again!" Brody said, gesturing back to the yard. Mick stopped what he was doing and watched as they came into the middle of the yard. "Alright, one more point for the match. Winner buys the ice-cream."

"Hope you stopped by the ATM today." Levi said with a smile. "I've got a sweet tooth!"

The two Rangers started circling each other, before leading off with a couple of attacks. Levi found one of his punches caught and twisted to exert pressure into an armlock. He smiled as he looked to Levi.

"I hope you know I don't believe in skimping on the toppings." Brody taunted him. Levi flipped over, rotating his arm to relieve pressure on his shoulder and landing on his back. From there, he kipped up onto his feet, before stepping onto Brody's leg, throwing his other leg over his arm. Rolling forward, his feet planted into Brody's abdomen, he flipped the Red Ranger over to the ground, before cinching in his hold hard. Brody quickly found himself having to tap.

Levi rolled backward to his feet, and picked up a towel, offering it to Brody.

"Now that's how it's…"

"Where did you learn that move?" Brody asked him.

"I'm sorry?" Levi asked him.

"That move, the reversal sequence you just pulled off." Brody told him. "Where did you learn it?"

"I…I don't know." Levi told him. "I've had a couple of different sensei over the years, and I've had time between teachers. Also, I've kind of adapted a few things myself. You know, a little of this and a little of that. It's always good to throw someone off their game if you can hit them with something they haven't seen."

"Yeah, I…I guess that's true." Brody answered, taking the towel. "Hit the showers then off to the ice-cream place?"

"Yeah, I just need to get some stuff from my class." Levi answered. "I'll see you in a few."

As he left, Mick came over to Brody, looking at him curiously.

"I'm not just imagining it am I?" Mick asked him. "I've seen you…"

"I've done that same move." Brody confirmed. "That throw is textbook Wind Ninja Academy."

"You know, some Martial Arts have a lot of crossover." Mick reminded him. "Maybe some other sensei do something similar?"

"It's possible, but the Wind Ninja were always pretty guarded about their techniques." Brody answered.

"Well, where would Levi have learned Wind Ninja techniques other than from you?" Mick asked him. Brody just looked to him.

"That's a good question." He answered. "I mean, I know my dad isn't the only one that left the Academy. Maybe one of them taught him."

"But I thought you said the Wind Ninja were very guarded about their techniques." Mick reminded him. "Why would one teach Levi?"

"That…that's another very good question." Brody answered. "Anyway, I need to hit the shower, then the ATM. I'll catch you later Mick."

Over at the Carnival, Sarah and Preston stumbled out of a haunted house, laughing loudly as they went. There were a few other patrons leaving in the same group who looked genuinely terrified, but for two Rangers who were used to seeing very real monsters, carnival workers in cheap foam-rubber costumes were hardly very intimidating.

"Oh man, that was a blast!" Preston laughed loudly as he came to her side. "Did you see that werewolf?"

"It was so lame! It was so fluffy it was almost cute!" Sarah agreed. "I didn't know whether to run or pet it and ask if it wanted to play fetch!"

"I would so have loved to have seen that." Preston answered. "So, what do you want to do next?"

"How long have you known me?" Sarah asked him, pointing to a huge roller coaster. Preston gulped as he looked at it.

"Um…the…Spine Melter?" He asked, his voice quivering a little as he read the name of the ride out loud.

"Oh, come on Preston, it'll be fun!" She assured him.

"Are you sure you wouldn't prefer I go and try to win you a bear or something?" He asked. "I think I saw a coconut shy around here somewhere…"

"Oh, come on Preston, it'll be no different than riding on my hoverboard." She assured him.

"Yeah, that's kind of what I'm afraid of." Preston answered as she dragged him away. Nearby, Hayley and Calvin were skulking to keep an eye on things.

"Well, they seem to be having a good time at least." He commented. "And props to my boy for waiting until AFTER the rides before eating."

"Yeah, learning that lesson only cost me a really cute pair of sandals." Hayley recalled. Calvin sighed.

"I am NOT going to be allowed to forget that am I?" He asked her.

"They were my favourite sandals!" She told him. "Damn, they're already in the queue, there's no way we're going to get any closer."

"You know, there is a way we can get closer." Calvin told her, getting his backpack off his back. "Brody always said, if a ninja looks like a ninja, he's pretty much doing it wrong."

"I like the way you think." Hayley agreed, getting her own backpack. "You go first, find somewhere to change. I'll keep eyes on them for the time being. The roller coaster lets on and lets off right here, they won't be going anywhere any time soon."

With that, Calvin slipped away to find somewhere quiet to change back into his street clothing. Hayley turned her attention back to Preston and Sarah, who were waiting in line. As she could have predicted, Sarah seemed to be a lot more into the idea of the roller coaster than Preston was, but as she took his hand and spoke to him, he seemed to relax a little.

"Nice job Sarah." She complimented her friend. "Keep this up, we'll be double-dating in no time."

In another part of town, Brody and Levi were arriving at the ice-cream parlour. Levi had made a point to remind Brody as often as he could that he was paying for the ice-cream as per their agreement.

"Well, here it is." Brody told him. "Uncle Ted's Malt Shop."

"This is…something else." Levi said with a huge grin. "This place looks like it hasn't changed…"

"Since it opened in 1956." Brody interrupted him. "Dad loved it here, he'd take me and Aiden here any time there was an excuse. Birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving. I had to stop by to check it was still here. Ted's grandson owns it now, but he's still kept it the same to honour his grandfather."

"You know, I can almost see this parking lot full of Chevys and pickup trucks." Levi said as he looked around. The Malt Shop really was like a time warp. It was a small shop with a parking lot that completely surrounded it on all sides. The sign declared it as having opened in 1956, and to say that it hadn't changed with the times was the best way to describe it. The windows allowed a full view into the shop, which had stalls all around the circular exterior that were topped with white speckled Formica and rimmed in stainless steel, with black leather seating. The counter in the middle was in the centre, built around a column which was presumably where the real magic happened. Out front there were numerous coffee pots, waffle irons and other assorted pieces of equipment. As they entered, they could see people sitting around with a wide selection of treats, ranging from knickerbocker glories through banana splits, to tall, thick milkshakes that were served with straws, as well as long spoons since they were so thick with ice-cream that it would be impossible to drink them completely any other way.

"This is totally wild…I love places like this!" Levi told Brody. "When I was on tour I'd have Tom look for somewhere like this."

"It's definitely a real slice of Americana." Brody said as they sat down in a booth. "My dad always said that this kind of place always reminded him of his childhood…which is odd since he was only born in 1968."

"He sounds like a man after my own heart." Levi responded as the waitress came over. "Some parts of the world move slowly, and while there's some things that I'd like to see left in the past, sometimes I think we're a little too quick to leave some things behind."

"Are you gentlemen ready to ord…" Her words tailed off as she caught sight of Levi. Brody just rolled his eyes and sank back into his seat. He had seen this a few times before, hell all of the team had. It was one of the drawbacks to having an actual celebrity on the team. He knew it would be a while before they were ordering. "…Say, aren't you Levi Weston?"

"Yes ma'am, I surely am." Levi answered with a little tip of the hat.

"Oh my God, you have no idea…I can't believe…you're here…" She said, hyperventilating. Brody just groaned. "Can I take a selfie?"

"Anything for a fan." Levi said, getting up and standing with the young woman. She held out her phone. "Cheeseburger!"

The woman snapped the shot and checked it, beaming brightly. Levi went back to his seat.

"Thank you so much…I'm sorry, would you like to order?" She asked.

"I'll have the waffles with a scoop of vanilla and a scoop of strawberry." Brody told her as he looked to the menu. "Chocolate sauce please, oh, and coffee, black."

"How about you Mr Weston?" She asked him. Levi handed back the menu without even looking at it.

"I would like a banana split, but could you do it with three scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream instead of the vanilla chocolate and strawberry?" He asked her. "Oh, and strawberry sauce instead of chocolate?"

"I don't think that should be a problem." She answered. "How about to drink?"

"I think I'll go with the coffee too." He told her. "Black and strong enough to stand the spoon up in."

"I'll just go and get that for you." She replied with a smile. "Thanks so much for the selfie."

"Well, that's no problem for a…"

"My mom thinks you are really hot!" The waitress told him. "She is going to be so jealous when I send her this!"

As she walked away, Brody started laughing. Levi just shook his head.

"Go ahead, yuck it up." Levi told him. "I guess whatever eases the fact you're still paying."

"Oh, this more than makes up for that." Brody answered as the waitress came back with a couple of mugs and poured them each a cup.

"The coffees are bottomless by the way." She told them. Levi looked to Brody and smirked.

"Well, thank you but there's no need for special treatment…"

"Um…it's house policy." She corrected Levi, pointing to a sign that declared all coffee was bottomless. Brody didn't even try to hide his laughter at Levi's expense. "Just give me a wave when you want a re-fill."

"You are having WAY too much fun with this." Levi muttered. Brody just wiped his eyes of tears.

"Sorry, but you do kind of keep setting yourself up like that." He answered. The waitress came back a moment later with their ice-cream, laying it down in front of them.

"One portion of waffles with vanilla strawberry and chocolate sauce, and one banana split, all three scoops mint chocolate chip and strawberry sauce." The waitress declared. "Enjoy!"

"Aw man, this looks amazing!" Levi commented, picking up his spoon and starting to dig in. He looked across, noticing that Brody wasn't following suit. "What? What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just…" Brody started to say, before pointing to the banana split. "Aiden used to order that every time he came here."

"Really?" Levi asked. He just shrugged his shoulders. "I guess your dad isn't the only Romero with good taste."

"What's that meant to mean?" Brody called out. Levi didn't answer though as he just started to eat. Brody, realising he wasn't going to get an answer just picked up his spoon.

Back at the carnival, Sarah and Preston had finished with the roller coaster, and moved on to some of the many games that were on offer. They steered clear of the cup game and chase the Queen after Preston spent a couple of minutes watching and figured out that they were pulling a pretty standard sleight of hand. The games were a con, and impossible to win. So instead, Preston thought he'd try his hand at the test-your-strength machine.

They had been Rangers for a couple of months, they fought monsters regularly, and he figured that the machine shouldn't be much of a problem for him. Unfortunately, he was proven wrong. Swinging the hammer as hard as he could, he only managed to send the ringer up the scale a little over half way. The marker on the scale he reached declared him to be a 'weed'.

"Aw, sorry son, it looks like no winner this time." The carnival worker operating the machine consoled him. "Here, have two tickets for your trouble."

Preston took the tickets with a forced smile and walked away. He looked to Sarah.

"I'm sorry, I…I tried, I swear I swung that hammer as hard as I could!" He promised her.

"Preston, it's alright." Sarah assured him.

"But I've taken down kudabots in one hit with my bare hands!" He protested. "This thing must be rigged!"

"It probably is." Sarah reassured him. "I don't mind."

"I'm sorry, I really wanted to win you something." Preston said sadly. "Isn't that what guys are meant to do on dates in these kinds of places?"

"Yeah, but these things are a total rip-off anyway." Sarah told him. "You get ten tickets for ringing the bell, and the smallest of the stuffed toys is two hundred tickets. You'd need to ring the bell twenty times in a row for a stuffed rat."

"I know, it's just…I really would have loved it if you had something to remember this by." Preston said dejectedly as they walked away. Sarah hooked her arm in his and smiled.

"What makes you think I'd forget this?" She asked him. "I had a really great time."

"Me too." Preston answered. "So…how about something to eat? I think I can manage that much."

"That sounds…WHOA!"

They both stopped abruptly as they turned a corner and walked straight into someone.

"I am so sorry, I…" Preston started to say, before he realised who they had bumped into. "Calvin?"

"Um…."

"Calvin?" Sarah asked, disentangling her arm from Preston's. "What…what are you doing here?"

"I'm um…uh…" Calvin started to stammer, trying to think of an explanation. He had kept as close as possible to Sarah and Preston to be able to relay how things were going to Hayley when she caught up. Unfortunately, he hadn't moved quickly enough when they left the carnival games. "I was just…uh…"

"Cal, there you are!" Hayley called out as she arrived, carrying some snacks. "I got you that corn dog you wanted."

"Hayley, you're here too?" Preston asked.

"Yeah, after the pet store Calvin and I came straight here." Hayley lied. "We knew the carnival was in town and wanted to enjoy it while it was in town."

"How about you guys?" Calvin asked, trying to turn it around.

"Oh…we um…" Preston began. "We finished working on our project a little earlier than expected so we thought we'd come here."

"Well…that worked out well then." Hayley said with a smile. "Want to catch some more shows together?"

"That would be great!" Sarah answered. "So, where do you get those corn dogs?"

As they all headed off, Sarah looked to Preston and smiled. All going well, as first dates went, this one had gone pretty well.

Fin.

 **A/N:** Stay tuned, the next arc is coming soon…VERY soon!


End file.
